Several hundred libraries have been completely destroyed or damaged due to Russian missile attacks in Ukraine. To restore them, we need strong partnerships and "sister libraries" from friendly libraries in Europe and the world.
"Library Country" team organized librarians to participate in the International Partnership Forum as part of the "Lib:continuation" project.
The Foundation received 147 registration applications from participants from all over the world and Ukraine. Despite the difficult situation with emergency power outages in Ukraine, the meeting took place on November 17, 2022 live with more than 80 participants of the Forum - from Estonia, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Great Britain, Germany, Croatia, Spain, the Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic and of Ukraine.
Ihor Stepurin, head of "Library Country", Iryna Khomyak, program manager of The Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation of the German Marshall Fund joined the event with a welcome speech. Oksana Brui, President of the Ukrainian Library Association, told the participants about the indomitability of Ukrainian libraries, implemented promotions, an incredible number of offers to support the library community from foreign colleagues, as well as about the partnership initiative "Librarian Support Fund".
First and foremost, it was important to convey to the international audience the situation with Ukrainian libraries during the war. The most emotional and frank was the presentation of the executive director of the Library Country Foundation, Lyusyena Shum, who revealed to the guests the situation with the genocide of Ukrainian culture, which is reflected not only in the shelling of infrastructure, but also in the deliberate destruction of Ukrainian books. The speaker separately informed about the painful loss of life among fellow librarians and about people from the field of culture who were or are in captivity or are still missing. The presentation is available at the link
Representatives of already twice relocated since 2014, physically destroyed and damaged libraries of different regions of Ukraine were also heard at the Forum. Heads of Ukrainian libraries had the opportunity to talk directly about vectors of international cooperation and expectations from partnerships: Nataliya Petrenko, director of the Kharkiv State Scientific Library named after V. G. Korolenko, Maria Pochinkova, acting Director of Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Yuliya Vasylenko, Director of the Donetsk Regional Children's Library, which was completely destroyed in Mariupol, Inna Aliferenko, Head of Chernihiv Regional Universal Scientific Library. V.G. Korolenko" (the library was damaged by rocket fire).
It was important to give the word to colleagues to shed light on the work of libraries with forcibly displaced Ukrainians at the international level. The presentation was made by Nadiya Kindrys, deputy director of the Lviv Regional Library for Children. They created the Pidzemka Steam Laboratory - a space in the basement, which gives the opportunity to work with children even during air raids, and also implement the "Fifth Element" project on informational and psychological safety for IDP children and teenagers who ended up in Lviv under time of war
The section of reports on international projects and readiness to help Ukraine and its libraries was opened by the guests. The first speaker was Isobel Hunter, Executive Director of Libraries Connected, London, UK. The guest expressed her respect to all librarians of Ukraine and noted that the libraries of Great Britain support residents from Ukraine with books, welcome sessions and support in finding a job, benefits. Colleagues from Britain state that libraries want to hold local events dedicated to Ukrainian and European culture and the values of freedom and friendship. They openly stated that they want to "make friends" with Ukrainian libraries, exchange ideas and work together so that colleagues from the library community do not feel alone, but have the support of the entire library community.
Messages to the Forum with words of support and willingness to cooperate were also received by Dzidra Shmita, director of the Riga Central Library, Virginia Svedene, coordinator of adult education at the Public Library of Panevezys County Gabriele Petkevychaite-Bite in Lithuania, Olga Matasari, project coordinator of the Association of Librarians from the Republic of Moldova, from Chisinau. Colleagues from European countries shared implemented initiatives to support Ukrainians in their countries and shared contacts for direct communication with Ukrainians for joint projects.
The section of Ukrainian librarians who work or undergo internships at libraries abroad during martial law in Ukraine was opened by Olga Zubrenko the leading librarian of the Kharkiv Regional Universal Scientific Library, she presented her experience of scholarship support in Germany.
Forum participants had the opportunity to directly convey information about their condition, voice their needs and expectations from partnership relations, and expand their contacts. But despite everything - to assure colleagues from abroad that they are ready to be equally reliable partners both during and after the end of the war at the important stage of reconstruction and recovery.
