International Museum Day: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

International Museum Day has been celebrated in the world since 1978. The total number of museums in Ukraine is approximately 5,000, of which more than 650 are state-owned, storing the state part of the Museum Fund – about 12 million items.

During the full-scale war, more than 1,400 cultural heritage sites were damaged, but some museums evacuated their collections, risking their lives. Today, museums have become a center for documenting the aggressor’s crimes. Workers create exhibitions about the heroism of civilians and soldiers.

This year’s theme for International Museum Day is “Museums Unite a Divided World.”

In times of challenge and change, museums can serve as spaces for dialogue, remembrance, and understanding. Culture is one of the most important tools of diplomacy, soft power and a language that in times of trial allows us to find common values ​​and meanings, uniting a divided world.

Many distinguished guests gathered at Zaporizhia Polytechnic National University as part of the celebration of International Museum Day. Pro-Rector Andriy Ivanchenko greeted everyone. The event was attended by: deputy of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council Iryna Piven, dean of the Faculty of Humanities Tetyana Khytrova, director of the museum of the Zaporizhzhia National University Volodymyr Linikov, director of the Museum of the History of Technical Progress of the National University “Zaporizhzhya Polytechnic” Natalia Derkach, as well as students of the Zaporizhzhia Humanitarian Vocational College, students, teachers and employees of the Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic.

The speakers spoke about the work of museums in the city and region, about the history and current state of museums. The participants visited the Museum of the History of Technical Progress of the Zaporizhia Polytechnic National University, where they saw how engineering solutions that changed the world were born.

We thank the museum staff for their dedication, invaluable contribution to the preservation of our history, and the inspiration they share with each visitor!