On February 21, International Tourist Guide Day, the War Museum held a conference titled “Remember. Witness. Transmit.” The event was organized by the Ukrainian Tourist Guides Association (UTGA) with the support of the Museum.
The event brought together experts from various fields—representatives of state institutions, the museum community, and professional guides—to discuss the role of the guide in preserving historical memory and implementing modern approaches to visitor engagement.
The conference began with a curatorial tour led by the Museum’s exhibition designer, Maryna Bohush. Guests visited exhibitions highlighting the events of Second World War and the russo-Ukrainian War.
The discussion session was moderated by Yanina Havrylova, Chair of the Board of the Ukrainian Tourist Guides Association. The opening remarks were delivered by the Director General of the War Museum, Yurii Savchuk. He emphasized the importance of the institution’s transformation process, highlighting that this work encompasses not only physical decommunization but also the formation of a new national historical narrative. The head of the institution also announced plans for the renovation and development of the museum space and spoke about fundraising efforts for future exhibitions, including the Museum of Modern Military Technologies, the Museum of russian (soviet) Propaganda, and a mini-conference hall.
The discussion continued with contributions from government officials: Natalya Tabaka, Chairperson of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine; Valentyna Vilchynska, Head of the Tourism and Resorts Sector of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine; and Yevhenii Samoilenko, Head of the Tourism Department of the Kyiv Regional State Administration. They focused on a joint initiative called “Routes of Memory,” aimed at fostering a culture of visiting sites associated with the russo-Ukrainian War.
Leaders of Ukraine’s prominent museums shared their experiences of operating during the full-scale invasion and their new approaches to shaping historical memory. Olena Zemliana, Director General of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine, spoke about transforming exhibition spaces and creating new displays in collaboration with the families of fallen defenders. She stressed the importance of the public demand for creating memorial spaces. Ihor Poshyvailo, Director General of the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity, addressed the complexities of shaping historical memory, noting that “memory has its own nature—it is fluid and forms gradually.”
Practical aspects of a guide’s work were presented by UTGA Chair of the Board Yanina Havrylova, UTGA members Nataliia Lykhytska (National Museum of the History of Ukraine), Kseniia Strilnyk (The Museum of Kyiv Occupation—a branch of the History Museum of Kyiv), Nataliia Kaitan (V.I. Vernadsky Taurida National University), as well as Yevhen Komarov, Deputy Head of the Veterans Institute “Architecture of Resilience”Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture (KNUCA), and russo-Ukrainian War veteran Danyil Honcharenko. Practicing guides discussed the challenges of communicating with visitors seeking to process war events, recommendations for handling difficult topics on “Routes of Memory,” and maintaining the mental health of both the guide and the participants.
The conference served as a platform for professional dialogue between government officials, museum professionals, and guides regarding approaches to preserving and transmitting historical memory. Holding the event at the War Museum—a hub for documenting and memorializing the current war—added a layer of profound symbolism to the occasion.
