Completion of Ark I: KKFF Foundation and MND Aid in Preserving Ukrainian Culture

"Protecting culture during wartime plays a crucial role in preserving a nation’s identity and maintaining its hope for renewal. Given the strain on state budgets and the limited financial resources of non‑profit organizations due to essential humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine, it is necessary to find new ways to safeguard Ukraine’s cultural heritage. One such way is the partnership between the private and public sectors, which enabled the creation of the Ark project. This initiative helps mitigate the losses Ukraine has suffered in the cultural sphere while also serving as a model for cultural preservation on a global scale," stated Karel Komárek, founder of the KKFF Foundation.

The conservation center facilitates emergency interventions and on‑site repairs of literary collections. The National Library of the Czech Republic served as the expert guarantor of the project, collaborating with the Military Technical Institute to develop equipment adapted to challenging conditions. The total cost of the project amounted to 10.5 million CZK, of which the KKFF Foundation and MND a.s. contributed five million CZK.

"I want to thank the partners who made the creation of Ark I possible. Without their financial contributions, this project would not have come to fruition. The cultural heritage of every country is a reflection of its history and national identity. Ark offers hope that some losses can be prevented," said Minister of Culture Martin Baxa.

"The mobile unit for the protection of book‑related cultural heritage will operate in Ukraine under the auspices of the Yaroslav Mudryi National Library and the Ukrainian Library Association. These organizations already have a clear plan for deploying the unit to specific libraries and other institutions in Ukraine," added Tomáš Foltýn, Director General of the National Library of the Czech Republic.

The Ark project was conceived more than a year ago through the collaboration of the Czech Ministry of Culture, the Czech ICOM Committee, and the National Library of the Czech Republic, with the support of private donors. The initiative focuses on conserving valuable cultural materials that are essential to Ukrainian identity and history. The facility, housed in a secure container, is set to depart for Ukraine at the beginning of January.

Ark I marks the first step in a broader project. The next phase will see the implementation of Ark II, which will focus on the digitization of written heritage, and Ark III, which, with support from the KKFF Foundation, will enable the digitization and 3D scanning of historical artifacts and other exhibits.

More information about the Ark project is available on the website: https://www.arkforukraine.org/.