The exhibition “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra: 975 Years of History — 100 Years of Responsible Preservation” was opened in Washington. It was presented during a solemn event dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraine’s Independence, which the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States organized together with the Ukrainian House in Washington.
The exhibition brings together photographs of the Lavra from the late 19th to the early 21st centuries. They show how the architectural complex and its individual buildings changed in different periods. The photographs also show monks, museum workers, pilgrims, and tourists.
The exhibition was prepared by the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra National Reserve in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States, the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, and the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation.
Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for Humanitarian Policy – Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetyana Berezhna emphasized that the exposition reflects not only the centuries-old history of the Lavra, but also the threats it faces during the war.
“For almost a thousand years, the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra has been a place where Ukrainian history was created. Today, we have a special responsibility for its future. This summer, the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra suffered significant damage as a result of Russian attacks. The exhibition in Washington opens up the history of the Lavra to an international audience and shows the scale of responsibility that Ukraine takes on every day for the preservation of cultural heritage of world importance,” said Tetyana Berezhna.
Among the guests of the exhibition were members of Congress, representatives of the US Administration, diplomats, clergy, representatives of the non-governmental sector, heads of American companies, the Ukrainian community, experts, and journalists.
The Pylyp Orlyk Foundation, with which the National Reserve cooperates on international cultural projects, joined in the preparation of the exhibition. In August, the parties signed a memorandum of cooperation aimed at popularizing Ukrainian history and cultural heritage abroad.
The foundation was represented at the opening by Lesya Yastrubetska, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.
“This exhibition has not only sacred, but also social significance. It reveals to the international community the greatness of an almost thousand-year-old cultural heritage, which generations of Ukrainians have carefully preserved for centuries, and at the same time presents visual evidence of its cynical desecration and destruction by the Russian aggressor. Together with other crimes against the Ukrainian people, this is an important confirmation of the genocidal nature of the modern war,” says Lesya Yastrubetska.
Charge d’Affaires of Ukraine in the United States Denys Senik stressed that in the context of a full-scale war, the presentation of Ukrainian culture abroad is of particular importance. After Washington, the exhibition is planned to be shown in other US cities.
“The presentation in the United States of an exhibition dedicated to the 975th anniversary of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra is not only a tribute to our history, but also evidence that Ukrainian cultural heritage lives, develops, and will be passed on to future generations,” said Denys Sienik.
In 2026, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra celebrates its 975th anniversary. Its first chronicle mention dates back to 1051. And September 29 will mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the National Historical and Cultural Reserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.”
The exhibition in the USA tells about the Lavra abroad and at the same time reminds us that preserving this heritage today requires not only Ukrainian efforts, but also the support of the international community.
