The National Reserve ‘Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra’ hosted a cultural and artistic event entitled ‘Svyatogorye: Through the Ages and the Flames of War’, during which the municipal institution ‘Administration of the State Historical and Architectural Reserve in Sviatohirsk’ presented a photographic exhibition entitled ‘Heritage Not Doomed to Destruction’.
The exhibition combined archival materials, historical photographs and contemporary photographic documents. The materials on display reflect the history and cultural significance of Svyatogorje’s sites, as well as their current condition and the damage caused by hostilities. This combination makes it possible to trace the changes the monuments have undergone and to document the impact of the war on the cultural heritage of the Donetsk region.
The opening of the exhibition was attended by: Maksym Ostapenko, Director-General of the ‘Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra’ National Reserve; Viktor Voynalovych, First Deputy Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESC); Bishop Rafail Makarivsky of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine; Oleksandr Shevchenko, Deputy Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration; and Ihor Saletskyi, Director of the ‘Administration of the State Historical and Architectural Reserve in Sviatohirsk’, who noted that documenting damaged and destroyed sites, preserving historical materials and disseminating information about cultural heritage are vital areas of work in the context of war.
Oleksandr Shevchenko emphasised that this exhibition is not only about losses, but also about our memory, responsibility and the desire to preserve that which forms part of Ukrainian history and identity. It is particularly symbolic that the exhibition is being held at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. After all, the cultural heritage of Ukraine’s various regions is part of our shared history.
In his speech, he also congratulated the military on Defenders’ Day and thanked them for their courage, thanks to which we are able to work, preserve our culture and talk about it.
The fact that the exhibition’s opening took place on the eve of Defenders’ Day lends it special significance. After all, today the defence of the state is measured not only by the defence of its borders, but also by the preservation of our spiritual and historical identity.
We thank the servicemen and women of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and all the Security and Defence Forces of Ukraine for defending our state, its territorial integrity and the Ukrainian people. Their service and defence of Ukraine form the basis for continuing our work to preserve cultural heritage, document the consequences of the war and showcase the historical and cultural treasures of the Donetsk region.