Ark I: A Unit for the Protection of Ukrainian Culture Arrives in Kyiv

The project, aimed at protecting Ukrainian cultural heritage from Russian wartime aggression, is a collaboration between the foundation, MND, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the National Library of the Czech Republic, and the Yaroslav Mudryi National Library of Ukraine in Kyiv. The unit was also made possible thanks to the support of other donors, including Libor Winkler and his associates.

“Protecting culture during wartime plays a key role in preserving a nation's identity and maintaining its hope for renewal. Given the need to provide essential humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine, the budgets of individual states and the financial capacity of nonprofit organizations are already under strain. This makes it necessary to find new ways to safeguard Ukraine’s cultural heritage. One of these ways is public‑private sector partnership, which led to the creation of the Ark Project. It helps mitigate the losses Ukraine has suffered in the field of culture while serving as a model for cultural protection on a global scale,” noted Karel Komárek, founder of the KKFF.

The mobile unit was officially completed in December 2024, when it arrived at the National Library of the Czech Republic’s facilities in Prague‑Hostivař. Following necessary preparations, which took less than a month, the container filled with specialized equipment was sent to Kyiv. At the premises of the Yaroslav Mudryi National Library, participants of the press conference had the opportunity to explore the unit in greater detail, including its interior.

A crucial part of Ark I’s further operations involves the professional training of Ukrainian library staff. Their Czech counterparts are sharing their expertise in the field of book conservation.

“We have developed a comprehensive deployment strategy for this mobile unit. However, due to the current security situation in our country, we must maintain strict confidentiality regarding specific destinations and operations to protect both our irreplaceable cultural heritage and the professionals working with this equipment. The partnership with the National Library of the Czech Republic is not just about providing equipment – it also includes specialized online training, professional development, and both remote and on‑site collaboration. As the national methodological center for public libraries, we are coordinating the project on a nationwide level. This project is not only about our library but about the entire Ukrainian library community,” concluded Oleh Serbin, General Director of the Yaroslav Mudryi National Library of Ukraine in Kyiv.