On November 26, the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War presented the exhibition “Ukraine in Flames” at the Historical Museum and Cultural Center of the Carabineros of Chile in Santiago. The project, implemented to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, received support from the Ukrainian community in the Republic of Chile. This is the first joint Ukrainian-Chilean museum project in history.
The exhibition “Ukraine in Flames” was created as part of the museum campaign “Our Victory.” The exposition aims to present to the Chilean public an unbiased view of Ukraine’s history during the Second World War, emphasizing the significant contribution of Ukrainians to the victory over Nazism and the high price paid for that triumph. Symbolically, the exhibition in Santiago opened at a time when Ukrainian soil is once again engulfed in flames. This time, the war has been unleashed by the russian aggressor, who, among other things, justifies the criminal invasion by spreading pseudo-historical narratives about the Second World War in the international information space.
The ceremonial opening was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Chile, Yurii Diudin. The host side was represented by the Director of the Historical Museum and Cultural Center of the Carabineros of Chile, Colonel Darío Goldberg Jiménez.
Yurii Savchuk, General Director of the Museum of the War and curator of the project, addressed the guests via video message: “Ukraine is once again in flames. The russian aggressor has seized part of our territory. Every day our defenders and civilians are killed, cities and villages suffer terrorist bombings. We thank everyone who supports us in this struggle for democracy and freedom, for our national and state existence,” the Museum’s head emphasized. He also expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to the implementation of the exhibition project.
Natalia Moroz de Toledo, a representative of the Ukrainian community in Chile, together with her husband Eduardo Toledo-Pinto, provided comprehensive assistance in developing museum cooperation. Natalia delivered a moving speech and called for honoring the memory of all those who fell in the century-long struggle against the aggressor – russia. She also performed the song “Little Bird”, which has become a symbol of rebirth after pain and loss.
As a sign of strengthening ties between the two countries, the instrumental ensemble of the National Orchestra of the Carabineros performed the National Anthem of Ukraine.
The Museum of the War sincerely thanks its partners, colleagues, and friends who made this international collaboration possible: Colonel Darío Goldberg Jiménez, Director of the Historical Museum and Cultural Center of the Carabineros of Chile; Eduardo Toledo-Pinto and Natalia Moroz de Toledo; Captain of the Chilean Army Fernando Escudero Zúñiga; Lieutenant Colonel Álvaro Casanova Morapán; Paulina Pinto, curator of the Carabineros Museum; Romina Leivi; and the Ukrainian diaspora in Chile.
We believe that this joint project not only paves the way for Chilean-Ukrainian museum cooperation but also opens new prospects for Ukraine’s presence in the cultural life of all of South America.
Glory to Ukraine! ¡Gracias Chile!
