The Donetsk Regional Museum of Local History held an online seminar titled “The Historical and Archaeological Heritage of Eastern Ukraine: Challenges of Preservation and Study During Wartime.”
The speakers at the event were: Roman Litvinenko – Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor at Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University, Oleksiy Gubanov – Candidate of Architecture, Associate Professor at the Donetsk National Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, member of the Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments; and Olga Kovalyova – Deputy Director for Educational and Methodological Work at the Donetsk Regional Ecological and Natural History Center.
The focus of the meeting, held in the format of a professional dialogue, was on discussing current issues regarding the preservation and study of the historical and archaeological heritage of Eastern Ukraine, assessing the extent of its destruction, and addressing the challenges of documenting losses. Additionally, the event examined the environmental consequences of the war and their impact on the region’s cultural landscape. The speakers also addressed specific aspects of studying global experiences in post-war cultural heritage restoration by citing examples of successful reconstruction of destroyed historical sites, which could be useful for Ukraine in the future.
The seminar served as an important platform for professional discussion and the identification of further steps toward preserving Ukrainian historical memory in the face of an existential challenge.