Ministry of Culture: Emphasis on Digitization and Regional Support
On 5 June, Luboš Veselý met with Anastasiia Bondar, the Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation at the Ministry of Culture, and Serhii Bieliaiev, the Deputy Minister for Strategic Communications. The meeting focused on ways to expand cooperation in digitising cultural collections, building the capacity of regional institutions and broadening interdisciplinary partnerships.
Veselý presented KKFF’s ongoing efforts, including supporting Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic, educational initiatives such as 'Pianos for Schools', and the results already achieved by the ARK. Notably, these include the launch of the first digitisation station at the Yaroslav Mudryi National Library of Ukraine. Plans were also discussed for extending this infrastructure to other institutions, particularly the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
The Lavra as a Key ARK III Partner
During his visit, Veselý also met Svitlana Kotliarevska, the acting director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve. The reserve is set to become ARK III's main Ukrainian partner. A mobile digitisation lab, equipped with technology for 3D scanning of museum objects and architectural heritage, will be deployed on-site as early as this autumn.
“We want to help the Lavra and other institutions protect endangered heritage. Culture is the soul of a nation. By preserving it, we preserve the nation itself,” said Luboš Veselý.
“We deeply appreciate the care and continuous support from our Czech partners. These joint projects strengthen professional capabilities and the symbolic cultural unity of Europe,” added Svitlana Kotliarevska.
Endorsement from the Olena Zelenska Foundation
The working visit also included a meeting with representatives of the Olena Zelenska Foundation, who have previously shown their support for the ARK initiative.
