In June 2020, the WCM opened its first international office in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Museum is working in several cities around the country to document the experiences of children affected by war in Eastern Ukraine.
WCM’s team in Ukraine is led by Dr. Iuliia Skubytska and brings together ten experts, including historians, psychologists, and anthropologists. WCM’s Ukrainian collection already includes memories and personal belongings of more than 100 children, both those living in the east and IDPs across the country.
As we are working further to document the experiences of children affected by the ongoing conflict, we are also producing our first exhibition, which is scheduled for June 2021 in Kyiv. The exhibition will then travel to at least five other regions in Ukraine, and some of its contents will be presented through WCM’s traveling exhibitions in other countries.
With this exhibition, we aim to:
- Provide valuable insight into children’s perspectives on their current situation and status;
- Help children to better understand and more easily cope with their experiences by:
- Providing them with an opportunity to share their personal stories, as sharing their stories may support their healing processes;
- Enabling them to connect with others who have had similar experiences, which could help them feel less alienated and increase their sense of belonging to a greater community.
- Raise awareness, especially among citizens of other European countries, about the children’s needs and how the war has affected them, ultimately contributing to better awareness of the conflict in Ukraine;
- Raise awareness among citizens of host cities about the experiences of internally displaced children from Eastern Ukraine.
