Safeguarding Ukraine's Cultural Heritage from Russia's War: A Discussion with the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and injuries and unleashed mass devastation of the Ukrainian landscape. It has not only placed the lives of Ukrainian people at risk but has also threatened the cultural heritage that forms the basis of Ukrainian identity. The threat to Ukrainian cultural heritage is not incidental, but part of a Russian campaign to eliminate traces of Ukrainian history and assert the legitimacy of its territorial conquests. 

This coordinated assault on Ukrainian identity has made protecting cultural heritage an essential part of Ukraine’s war effort. The Smithsonian Institute’s Cultural Rescue Initiative has played an important role in bolstering Ukraine’s capacity to do that. This joint event with the Smithsonian Institute will discuss the Cultural Rescue Initiative's effort to monitor the threat posed to Ukraine's cultural heritage, and the implications for both Ukraine and its allies.