The funding will be provided by Poland’s Ministry of Culture and National Heritage together with the Polonika National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad.
Speaking at the 2nd Ukraine Conference “Cooperation for Resilience” in Lviv at the end of last month, Cienkowska said that helping Ukraine preserve its culture and historical record was essential to regional stability.
She said the urgency of that work was clear after a Russian drone struck a building in the Bernardine Monastery area of Lviv’s UNESCO-listed historic center on March 24.
The damaged site houses the Central State Historical Archives of Ukraine in Lviv, which preserves records dating back to the 13th century.
Polish institutions, including Polonika and the State Archives, have already been helping to digitize collections, protect the building, and improve storage conditions, she said.
“Support for Ukraine’s cultural sovereignty is essential for the stability of the region,” Cienkowska said.
She argued that a country with a strong cultural life is better prepared to resist hostile influence and defend its independence, which in turn matters for the security of Central Europe.
Cienkowska said Poland has been working with Ukraine on the protection and promotion of its cultural heritage since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. She added that Poland’s contribution to UNESCO’s emergency assistance program for Ukraine will exceed EUR 200,000 in 2026.
She also said the ministry has created a new Department of Security and Crisis Management, drawing on lessons from Ukraine about how to protect cultural assets in wartime and other emergencies. Work on digitizing cultural holdings is also being expanded, she said.
The Lviv conference on March 29 and 30 focused on how Ukraine’s cultural sector is functioning under attack and how international partners can help with protection and reconstruction.
Organizers also presented plans for an international alliance on cultural resilience and a separate fund dedicated to Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
Cienkowska said culture should also be defended by restricting the promotion of the aggressor state’s culture. She noted that she had joined other ministers in signing a protest letter against any possible return of Russia to the Venice Biennale.
Polonika is a state institution established in 2017 that works to protect Polish heritage beyond Poland’s borders. It carries out projects in conservation, scientific research, education and popularization of culture.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP, unesco.org