In response to the devastating loss of over 400 cultural sites – including libraries, museums, and churches – since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Ark project is an ambitious multi-stage project that aims to preserves today’s Ukraine, and its rich cultural history, for future generations.
With support from Karel Komárek Family Foundation (KKFF), MND, and entrepreneur Libor Winkler, in collaboration with the Czech Ministry of Culture and the Czech National Library, the first Ark vehicle is set to deploy in the autumn of 2024.
The Ark Project builds on the Czech Republic’s unwavering support of Ukraine and its people. With future plans to expand and innovate, the Ark Project aims to draw in other institutions, businesses, civil society organizations, and private individuals to take action.
With security a paramount concern, Ark vehicles will be navigated by a team of trained experts, featuring real-time tracking and advanced security systems. State-of-the-art technological components and security features will be combined with deep community engagement, involving Ukrainian institutions, local communities, and international experts to prioritize and protect cultural assets. Educational programs and awareness campaigns will be used to further highlight the importance of cultural preservation.
The Ark Project not only helps safeguard Ukrainian heritage but also serves as a model for cultural preservation in other conflict zones around the globe. Showcasing the power of public-private partnerships, the initiative emphasizes the critical importance of protecting cultural heritage, which is too often an afterthought in times of war.
The most recent, but also the most ambitious project promoted by the Support Ukrainian Culture initiative is the Mobile Digitization Workstation for 3D Objects – known as ARK III, which is being prepared by the National Museum of the CzechRepublic (not the National Library).
The complexity of the ARK III project is unparalleled, as it combines a rescue and digitization site along with a compact mobile unit that can be quickly deployed. This will enable the digitization of smaller artefacts found in endangered museums and galleries across Ukraine.
The Ark Project builds on the Czech Republic’s unwavering support of Ukraine and its people. With future plans to expand and innovate, the Ark Project aims to draw in other institutions, businesses, civil society organizations, and private individuals to take action.
2024 - PROJECT ARK