The “Ukrainian” Institute initiated the creation of a decolonization guide for Ukrainian and foreign museums and cultural heritage institutions, with a focus on Ukraine. The guide will be developed in cooperation with international partners and experts in the field of culture. This was reported by the “Ukrainian Institute”.
” In the museums of the world, Ukrainian heritage is often neglected, interpreted and presented with inaccuracies. We hope that we will be able to bring Ukrainian heritage out of the shadows, show the complex history of Ukraine, restore and protect Ukrainian heritage,” said Tetyana Filevska, creative director of the Ukrainian Institute.
The guide will include an analysis of specific examples and an overview of best practices that will allow readers to question assumptions about the role of colonial authorities in Ukraine. The guide will become an accessible tool for specialists and everyone who tries to correctly define and describe the cultural heritage of Eastern Europe. This guide will also be a tool for uncovering hidden prejudices and stereotypes that may arise as a result of decades of aggressive colonizer policies.
The guide will offer some practical steps and answers to questions:
- How to identify Ukrainian cultural heritage?
- How to describe historically changing state borders?
- How to avoid incorrect vocabulary, terminology and labelling?
- How to represent a controversial legacy?
Based on a series of workshops, focus groups and testing, the guide will be published digitally and available for free download in the summer of 2024.
The “Ukrainian Institute” said that the manual will be the result of an international partnership project developed in cooperation with the “Museum Association” (MA), ICOM UK and ICOM Ukraine with the support of the British Council in Ukraine. Its conclusion was preceded by a series of seminars, focus groups and testing.
” Colonialism leaves a deep and lasting impact on culture, language and thinking. As a result, researching and uncovering these implications can be a painful and difficult process. Our task as citizens of Ukraine is to take a leading role in the restoration and protection of history and heritage. As part of this process of decolonization, it is extremely important to involve the views of experienced experts, the participation of British museologists who have experience in developing guidebooks on decolonization with a British imperial focus, this is critically important,” noted historian, candidate of historical sciences, head of the board of ISOM in Ukraine Anastasia Cherednychenko.
The new guide is partly based on the methodology used by the British Association of Museums in its 2021 guide, Supporting Decolonization in Museums. The guide of the Association of Museums was published by the Ukrainian Institute in the Ukrainian language.
” We are pleased to cooperate with the Ukrainian Institute, ICOM UK, ICOM in Ukraine and the British Council in the development of this manual. Decolonization is a new area of museum practice that is evolving and must be adapted to the specific circumstances of each country. I hope our principles and guidelines can be a useful starting point for this work,” said Sharon Hill, director of the Association of Museums.
Julia Polikovska
Media sapiens
