How to preserve monuments and museum collections during wartime and what assistance is needed for this was discussed during the visit of a delegation from the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve. The delegation was headed by Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sjord Sjordsma. He was accompanied to the Lavra by the President of the Confederation of Dutch Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW) Koon van Oostrom. The guests were welcomed by the First Deputy General Director of the National Reserve Igor Tereshchenko, Deputy General Director Kateryna Yegorova, and co-founder of the NGO “Agency for Cultural Sustainability” Igor Poshivaylo. The Dutch representatives toured the outside of the Assumption Cathedral, damaged by the Russian attack in June of this year. They also got acquainted with a tablet exhibition about the destruction and restoration of the main church of the Lavra. Its history reminds us: Russian attacks threaten human lives, critical infrastructure, and Ukrainian cultural heritage, part of the world heritage. The meeting participants discussed the consequences of the shelling for historical monuments and the difficulties faced by Ukrainian museums. Particular attention was paid to the threats to the architectural ensemble of the Lavra and the work required to protect and restore damaged structures. Another topic of conversation was the daily work of the National Reserve team during the war: how employees preserve monuments and museum collections and how international partners can help in this. In particular, they discussed cooperation with the international organization Cultural Emergency Response (CER), which supports emergency measures to protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage. Its preservation is one of the priority areas of assistance from the Netherlands to our country. Representatives of the delegation also spoke with journalists against the backdrop of the Assumption Cathedral. They talked about support for Ukraine during full-scale Russian aggression, in particular, about assistance in the energy sector.
