A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed in Kyiv between the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and the State Archival Service of Ukraine. The aim of this collaboration is to coordinate efforts and properly preserve the collected testimonies about the war in Ukraine. Thanks to this partnership, the unique archive of the Museum of Civilian Voices, an initiative of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, will become a key resource for historical research both in Ukraine and beyond.
“We truly hope that, together with the State Archival Service, we can establish a meaningful partnership that contributes to a unified war archive. I strongly believe that private initiatives should also play a role in preserving the memory of what we are experiencing today. Our greatest responsibility is to transform these artifacts into historical records so that they become part of our culture and collective memory,”
said Natalia Yemchenko, a member of the Supervisory Board of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation.
The State Archival Service of Ukraine acknowledged the Museum of Civilian Voices for its efforts in preserving war testimonies. The collaboration between public institutions and private initiatives will help safeguard historical truth and build a collective memory for future generations.
“The full-scale invasion led to a full-scale response, with all archives joining efforts to collect such testimonies, from audiovisual heritage, artistic works, diaries, and newspapers to official documents. Now, more than ever, we shall unite again, because the world is showing that Ukraine’s greatest hope is its own people. And I believe that each of you has something to say and something to pass on to future generations,”
said Anatolii Khromov, head of the State Archival Service of Ukraine.
The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and the State Archival Service of Ukraine have agreed on various partnership formats. This collaboration will include joint organisational events, information and promotional projects both online and offline, as well as training sessions, practical seminars, lectures, webinars, and other educational initiatives.
“The collaboration between the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s Museum of Civilian Voices and the State Archive is another crucial step in bringing the truth about the war in Ukraine to the world. At the onset, we developed a highly efficient system for collecting testimonies, which we continue to use today. The Foundation’s professional team works daily to preserve every story. We have created a unique archive of human experiences. These testimonies will help future generations understand the scale of the tragedy endured by Ukrainians and serve as undeniable evidence of war crimes,”
emphasised Iryna Blazhan, Programmes Director at the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation
The Museum of Civilian Voices is the world’s largest archive of testimonies and a source of truth about the war in Ukraine. The museum collects, preserves, and documents the stories of people affected by the war, from 2014 to the present day. Currently, its archive has 130,000 stories.
