Viktor Yushchenko Received a New Position: What the Third President of Ukraine Will Be Responsible For

The third president of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, was elected chairman of the Supervisory Board of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide. One of the priorities of its work will be to complete the second phase of the museum complex.

Main points: New appointment: The third president of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, was elected chairman of the Supervisory Board of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide. Composition of the Supervisory Board: 11 representatives of Ukrainian civil society organizations, international institutions, overseas Ukrainians, and the scientific community joined the board. Leadership: The deputy chair is former Canadian ambassador to Ukraine Roman Vashchuk, and the secretary is Olha Soroka, head of the Network of Holodomor Descendants. Primary task: The board’s priority will be to seek funding to complete the construction of the second phase of the museum complex and to create a permanent exposition. Museum results: Over the last four years, the museum’s collection has expanded by 234%, work continues on forming the Oral History Archive and digitizing exhibits. The newly formed Supervisory Board includes 11 representatives of Ukrainian public associations, international organizations, overseas Ukrainians, and the scientific community. It will operate on a permanent basis and oversee the museum’s activities, promoting openness and transparency. At the first meeting, the board elected its leadership. The chairman is the President of Ukraine in 2005–2010 years Viktor Yushchenko, deputy chair is former Canadian ambassador to Ukraine Roman Vashchuk, and the secretary is the founder and head of the Network of Holodomor Descendants Olha Soroka. What tasks were defined for the Supervisory Board? According to Deputy Prime Minister for humanitarian policy and Minister of Culture Tetiana Berehna, among the board’s top tasks are the completion of the second phase of the museum’s construction, creation of a permanent exposition, attracting international funding, and ensuring openness and accountability of the institution. In turn, Yushchenko stressed that one of the main directions of work will be to seek funds to complete the second phase of the museum. According to him, both Ukrainian business and overseas Ukrainians will be involved. He also noted that the full-scale development of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide takes on special significance in the context of the war. How the museum has changed in recent years. The museum’s director-general Larysa Hasidzhak said that over the last four years the museum’s collection has increased by 234%. During this period, museum staff conducted expeditions, recorded testimonies of Holodomor and mass artificial famine witnesses 1946–1947 years ago, formed the Oral History Archive of the Holodomor, prepared new publications, and digitized museum exhibits. The museum also continues to work on creating a permanent exposition and is implementing an international technical assistance project from the Canadian government. At the meeting, the museum’s work during full-scale war, preservation of the collection, and preparation of premises for the autumn–winter period were discussed separately.

As a reminder, earlier the architect of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide, Yuriy Kovalov, spoke about the construction of the second phase of the museum complex continuing. According to him, the new building will feature the largest green roof in Europe, the first sloped elevator in Ukraine, modern exhibition and conference halls, and space for exhibits dedicated not only to the Holodomor but also to the contemporary war of Russia against Ukraine. We also wrote about the Holodomor 1932–1933 years ago. Historian Mykhailo Kostiv, in an interview with RBK-Ukraine, explains how the Soviet authorities organized the artificial famine, who were its main culprits, why the tragedy was recognized as a genocide, how many people died, how Ukrainians tried to survive, and why the world reacted slowly to the crimes of the USSR.