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From the defense of Ukraine, cultural heritage and Museum collaborations emerge

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From the defense of Ukraine, cultural heritage and Museum collaborations emerge

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the War Museum in Kyiv, Ukraine, Helene Rånlund, Director General of The National Swedish Museums of Military History, was awarded an honorary medal for fostering opportunities for collaboration around exhibitions. Together with museum colleagues from Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Germany, Helene Rånlund participated in a ceremony held in Kyiv on December 13 to honor the War Museum’s 50th anniversary and its transformative journey over the past three years. The event was attended by representatives from Ukraine’s government, armed forces, civil defense, former culture ministers, colleagues from various heritage institutions in Ukraine, and all staff of the War Museum. In addition to speeches and honorary awards presented to the museum and its staff, a unique contribution was central to the success of the event: the Ukrainian electricity authority ensured an uninterrupted power supply for three hours.

From left to right in the picture above:

Jörg Morré, Berlin-Karlhorst Museum (Germany); Rita Malinauskiene, Vytautas the Great War Museum (Lithuania); Helene Rånlund, Swedish Military History Museums (Sweden); Kristine Skrivere, Latvian War Museum (Latvia); Malgorzata von Thadden, OBMIN Foundation (Poland).

Honors for swedish colleagues

As part of the museum’s 50th-anniversary celebrations, the War Museum presented five honorary medals from its newly established award for significant contributions to the museum's development. One of these medals was awarded to SFHM’s Director General, Helene Rånlund, for fostering collaboration opportunities around exhibitions and exchanges of expertise. Swedish photographer and filmmaker Andrzej Markiewicz was honored by the Ukrainian state for his volunteer work documenting the ongoing invasion. His recognition included a commemorative postage stamp. Andrzej has participated in the War Museum's collection expeditions along the frontlines of the conflict with Russia.


Ukrainian heritage and Museums in transformation

During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, cultural heritage has played a key role in strengthening and maintaining societal resilience. The significance of heritage has driven the development of Ukrainian cultural institutions, aiming to remain relevant by focusing on citizens and strengthening the protection of both tangible and intangible heritage. International and national collaborations are critical success factors for this development. The National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War – the War Museum – has undergone a major transformation since the start of the invasion in February 2022. Initially inaugurated in 1974 as a national museum to honor the Soviet narrative of World War II, the War Museum has since documented the ongoing war and created unique exhibitions, fostering collaborations with institutions both within Ukraine and globally. In 2024, the museum welcomed 293,586 visitors and hosted delegations from 24 countries, sharing the story of Ukraine and its museum.


Exhibitions

Learn more about ongoing and past exhibitions related to Ukraine at The National Swedish Museums of Military History:

  • Crossroads: Sweden – Ukraine Through 1,000 Years
  • Landscapes of Emergency
  • ArtArmor – A Life-Saving Art Exhibition
  • Meanwhile in Mariupol
  • Meanwhile in Ukraine

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Statens försvarshistoriska museer, SFHM, har till uppgift att främja kunskapen om det svenska
försvaret genom tiderna och om försvarets roll i samhällsutvecklingen. SFHM ska också skapa möjligheter till reflektion om händelser i samtiden genom ett historiskt perspektiv, om hur krig påverkar, och har påverkats, människor och samhället. Kort och gott - livsviktig historia.

Statens försvarshistoriska museer, med Armémuseum och Flygvapenmuseum

Statens försvarshistoriska museer är en statlig myndighet vars uppdrag är att öka kunskapen om det svenska försvaret genom tiderna och om dess roll i samhällsutvecklingen. Till oss tillhör Armémuseum i Stockholm och Flygvapenmuseum i Linköping samt försvarets traditionsnämnd.

Statens försvarshistoriska museer

Riddargatan 13
114 51 Stockholm
Sweden