Helping Ukraine Preserve Cultural Heritage through the ARK Project
September 19 2024 - 8:14AM
The Karel Komárek Family Foundation (KKFF), a leading Czech
charity, in partnership with the "Supporting Ukrainian Culture"
initiative, a joint project of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech
Republic and the Czech Committee of International Council of
Museums (ICOM) took further steps to help to preserve Ukrainian
cultural heritage amid ongoing war. In partnership with the
National Preserve Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the scope of the ARK project
was officially expanded at the Institute for Cultural Strategy in
Lviv yesterday. The Initiative is being realized under the
patronage of the Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic, with
financial support from KKFF and portfolio companies of
KKCG.
As Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues, the
country's cultural heritage sites have been systematically
targeted, resulting in devastating losses to historical and
artistic treasures. In response, KKFF, in collaboration with the
Czech and Ukrainian Ministries of Culture, the National Museum of
the Czech Republic, and the International Council of Museums (ICOM)
Czech committee, with support of private philanthropy and companies
like MND, launched the ARK project in late 2023. The groundbreaking
mobile units at the heart of the project are designed to preserve
Ukrainian literature and cultural artifacts through digitization.
With UNESCO reporting that nearly 500 cultural sites have been
destroyed or significantly damaged since February 2022, the ARK
project is a vital effort to protect Ukraine’s identity and ensure
its legacy endures for future generations.
At the core of the ARK Project are Mobile Safeguard Vehicles
(MSVs), equipped with state-of-the-art technology for the
protection and transportation of cultural artifacts. These MSVs
feature autonomous operation, remote monitoring, real-time
tracking, and environmental control systems. In addition, security
features prevent unauthorized access and tampering, creating a
secure environment for safeguarding rescued artifacts. The first
MSV is expected to be deployed by the end of 2024.
These vehicles will allow cultural workers in war-affected areas
to rescue historical books and create digital copies and 3D scans
of immovable objects, such as frescoes, that cannot be physically
relocated.
Luboš Veselý, Director of KKFF, explained: “The
ARK initiative is deeply meaningful to KKFF, as supporting culture
and the arts is central to our mission. We have a long history of
supporting Ukraine and its people. As we witness the deliberate
destruction of Ukraine's cultural heritage, this project resonates
with us all the more strongly.”
Following a roundtable discussion with representatives from
select cultural institutions, a joint declaration was signed
regarding the "Supporting Ukrainian Culture" initiative and ARK
III, a new mobile digitization workstation to be purpose-built and
deployed in 2025. The declaration was signed by Ondřej Chrást,
Deputy Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic, and Maksym
Ostapenko, Director-General of the National Preserve "Kyiv-Pechersk
Lavra."
ARK III will focus on the digitization of 3D objects and is
being prepared in collaboration with the National Museum of the
Czech Republic. The complexity of the ARK III project is
unparalleled, as it combines a rescue and digitization site along
with a compact mobile unit that can be quickly deployed. This will
enable the digitization of smaller artefacts found in endangered
museums and galleries across Ukraine.
Ondřej Chrást added: “This initiative is
crucial not only for safeguarding Ukrainian culture but also for
protecting global cultural heritage. Ukrainian artists, writers,
and historical artifacts are part of the shared human experience,
enriching world culture with their unique contributions. The ARK
project ensures these invaluable assets are not lost to the
destruction of war.”
Maksym Ostapenko continued: "The ARK project is
lifeline for Ukraine’s cultural treasures, and a symbol of
resilience in the face of adversity. By preserving our heritage, we
are protecting the soul of Ukraine. This collaboration is a
testament to the power of unity in preserving what defines us as a
people."
Michal Lukeš, Director General of the National
Museum of the Czech Republic said: “The ARK Project can serve as a
global model for cultural preservation. It demonstrates how private
foundations, corporations, public institutions, and NGOs can
collaborate effectively to protect cultural heritage, raising
awareness of its importance, particularly in conflict zones. If
this initiative inspires similar efforts globally, it will advance
the movement for cultural preservation.”
For more information on the Ark project and how to support it,
please visit www.arkforukraine.org.
About the Karel Komárek Family
Foundation The Karel
Komárek Family Foundation, founded by Czech entrepreneur Karel
Komárek and his wife Štěpánka, is dedicated to supporting cultural,
educational, and social projects that have a lasting impact on
society. A key focus of the foundation is the development and
revitalization of public spaces, transforming parks, school
gardens, and other communal areas into vibrant, functional places
that strengthen community ties. By combining construction and
landscaping with cultural and educational activities, the
foundation fosters environments that encourage dialogue, preserve
cultural heritage, and inspire creativity, making these spaces
vital hubs for community life.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7c164db2-bb41-49b1-8c5a-69893e47a092
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ab66162a-5107-4033-bdba-1c4fd03f96bc
Media Contact
Jonathan Hoffmann
jonathan.hoffmann@kkcg.com
+420 602 633 105