Jasminko Halilović, Founder and Director-General of the War Childhood Museum, took part in the second annual Ukraine Cultural Security Forum held on 7–8 May in Warsaw, Poland.
As part of the panel discussion “Fake Past, Stolen Future? Disinformation, Weaponized Culture and the Fight for Truth”, Halilović joined distinguished speakers including the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, representatives of leading museums and cultural institutions, and the Ambassador of France to Poland. Panel discussion was moderated by Helene Rånlund, Chair of Blue Shield Sweden and a member of the War Childhood Museum’s Global Advisory Board.
Bringing together around 160 museum professionals, researchers, policymakers, and government representatives from Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, France, and Sweden, the forum—organized by OBMIN—focused on the critical relationship between cultural heritage, memory, and national security.
Confronting Disinformation Through Human Stories
During the discussion, Halilović emphasized that one of the most effective responses to disinformation and dehumanization is, in fact, humanization itself. He spoke about the importance of creating space for people who experienced war in childhood to tell their own stories and be heard, stressing that personal testimonies and oral histories are powerful tools in restoring dignity, resisting manipulation, and building empathy across divides.
He also highlighted the role museums and cultural institutions can play in confronting dangerous social trends by preserving authentic human experiences and making them accessible to the public.
