Global experience is currently immensely valuable to Ukraine in war memorialisation, preserving historical memory, and interpreting wartime events.
From September 21st to 25th, 2026, Director General Yurii Savchuk participated in an international professional exchange programme focused on war memorialisation in France. The project was organised by the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and the Cultural Diplomacy Foundation.
📍 Key Locations and Meetings:
· Paris: Professional meetings with the leadership and specialists of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) to examine approaches to the preservation of memorials and military cemeteries, as well as visitor engagement strategies.
· Memorial Sites in France: Visits to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, the battlefield at Belleau Wood, the American Monument at Château-Thierry, the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Cemetery, and the Normandy American Cemetery and its visitor centre.
· Museum institutions: An exploration of exhibition approaches at the Overlord Museum (Colleville-sur-Mer), the Museum of the Battle of Normandy (Bayeux), and the Caen Memorial.
A particularly moving moment was the meeting at the Normandy American Cemetery with David Eisenhower–a historian, author, educator, and TV presenter, as well as the grandson of Dwight Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe and the 34th President of the United States.
We express our sincere gratitude to the organisers for the opportunity to participate in this important and meaningful programme.
Studying the best global practices will help enrich the commemorative approaches among the museums, enabling us to fittingly honour the memory of those who fought for Ukraine’s freedom throughout history–and those who continue to fight for it today.
