THE PROJECT OF THE SECOND PART OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM "HOLODOMOR VICTIMS MEMORIAL" WAS PRESENTED TO PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE PETRO POROSHENKO

The model of the museum’s buildings and the projects of the internal space and territory of the memorial were presented to the President of Ukraine by the Deputy Chairman of the Organizational Committee for the preparation of the second stage Ivan Vasiunyk and the leaders of the creative team Andrii Myrhorodskyi and Myroslav Nizio. The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Hroisman, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andrii Parubii, President of Latvia Raymond Vejonis, President of Slovakia Andrei Kiska, wife of President of Ukraine Maryna Poroshenko, Minister of Culture of Ukraine Yevgen Nyschuk and other government officials.

The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, got acquainted with the developments, talked with the  team of authors, and emphasized the further support of the Project, which is being implemented in response to the request of the society as a common cause of the state and the indifferent public.

– In order not only the state was financing the construction and the museum’s exposition, three public organizations and initiatives created the International Charitable Foundation for the Development of Holodomor Victims Memorial. Its primary task is to raise funds for the construction of the museum and the creation of an exposition. This is a step similar to world practice, when business supports culture and is proud of it. The charitable foundation has already begun its work. First, we will invite entrepreneurs and politicians to cooperate. Over time, everyone who feels his duty, will be able to contribute, to light in such a way a symbolic candle from himself and his family in memory of millions of innocent people killed by the famine, our compatriots, only because they were Ukrainians – Ivan Vasiunyk, Deputy Chairman of the Organizational Committee for the Preparation of the Second Part Construction, co-chairman of the Public Committee for Commemoration the victims of Holodomor-genocide of 1932-1933 said to the President of Ukraine.

The architectural project of the museum is developed by a group of Ukrainian architects of the company “Project Systems” (Kyiv, Ukraine, Chief Architect Andrii Myrhorodskyi), in cooperation with the leading European studio “Nizio Design International” (Warsaw, Poland).

The starting point of the project of the memorial building is the idea of connecting it with the tectonics and landscape of the slopes of the Dnieper valley, in the area around the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The Museum’s building is located on the axis leading from the observation deck to the Candle of Memory, a symbol of commemoration of 1932-1933 Holodomor victims – the genocide of the Ukrainian nation.

The architectural form of the building is the embodiment of the idea of bringing the truth about Holodomor to the light, which was closed for decades. Hidden history is symbolized by not only the tectonic layers covering the building, but also by the architectural solution, which consists in placing the part of the building underground. Similarly, the roof of the building, divided into two parts, one of which is displaced, shows how the actions of people lead to the disclosure of the crime. The monumental entrance to the building is located on the side of the Candle of Memory. This is the gate that leads deep into the earth and to the truth hidden there, which will be shown by the main exposition.

The visual concept of the exposition, prepared by Myroslav Nizio’s studio “Nizio Design International” (which created the main expositions of the two most visited museums in Poland: the Warsaw Uprising Museum and the Museum of the Polish Jewish history POLIN in Warsaw), constructs a narrative that will show the preconditions, causes, and mechanism of Holodomor, and the impact of genocide onto the history of Ukraine, the world and the Ukrainian nation.

The museum also provides a separate exhibition space for temporary thematic exhibitions, a conference hall and cinema hall for 300 places, a room for educational projects, the fullest library of publications on this topic, an archival center, the Holodomor Research Institute, etc. It is expected that the museum, located in the ancient part of the city, will receive hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, carrying out active educational, educational, scientific work, will become one of the active centers of community life in the capital and a hospitable home for guests, including those from abroad.

Constructing the museum will last for several years. With the model of the museum, as well as the plans of the main architectural decisions, one can get acquainted in the Hall of Memory of National Museum ” Holodomor Victims Memorial”.

Reference

In 2016, after the appeals from the Public Committee for Commemoration the the 1932-1933 Holodomor-genocide victims, and the World Congress of Ukrainians, Ukraine returned to the construction of the second part of the National Museum “Holodomor Victims Memorial”. In 2008, the first, memorial, part of the National Museum ” Holodomor Victims Memorial” was constructed and opened. It consists of the Hall of Memory and the memorial space in the park zone. Continuing construction of the second stage, in particular the Museum of the Holodomor, which would create a solid exposition, was stopped after changing Ukrainian political course in 2010.

On November 26, 2016, on the Day of Holodomor Victims Remembrance, the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said: “Work should begin to create a decent museum institution.” In order to coordinate the construction of the museum, a Governmental Organizing Committee for the preparation of the construction of the second stage was formed. It was headed by the First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv. And already on April 3, 2018, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groisman laid the construction capsule.

During this time, the State Enterprise for the construction of the second part, which performs the construction, was established, the land was allocated, the concept of the museum, created in cooperation with museum and historians, was approved, and a part of the funds from the state budget for the implementation of the first preparatory works was directed. And three public organizations and initiatives (Vasyl Stus All-Ukrainian Human Rights Organization “Memorial”, Public Committee for 1932-1933 Holodomor-Genocide Victims Memory Commemoration , and the World Congress of Ukrainians) are continuing their initiatives and implementing projects in the field. For the revival of historical justice, they created the International Charitable Foundation for the Development of the Holodomor Victims Memorial, the task of which  is to raise funds for the construction of the museum and the creation of the exposition.