Minister of Culture discussed the importance of rebuilding Ukraine’s cultural sector and strengthening international support in Lviv
Minister of Culture Vaida Aleknavičienė paid a working visit to Lviv on March 29–31, where she participated in the second international “Ukraine culture conference: cooperation for resilience 2”. The main objective of this event was to strengthen international cooperation in the areas of culture and the long-term resilience of cultural heritage, as well as to prepare for the Ukraine reconstruction conference to be held in Gdańsk in June 2026.
At the conference, attended by representatives of the Ukrainian government and parliament, European ministers of culture, and leaders of international organizations, V. Aleknavičienė spoke on the topics of cultural resilience, sectoral recovery, and the importance of international alliances. The minister presented Lithuania’s experience and principled stance from the very first days of the Russian invasion.
She noted that Lithuania places special emphasis on preserving Ukraine’s cultural heritage - our country’s museums have helped evacuate and safeguard hundreds of Ukrainian cultural treasures, organized more than 20 exhibitions, and Lithuanian specialists have already contributed to the restoration of over 1,500 artifacts.
“All aid provided is important. However, the most important aid is that which is directed toward the people of Ukraine - those who strengthen Ukraine from within every day through their institutions, organizations, and communities. Ukraine’s future depends on them,” said V. Aleknavičienė.
The Minister of Culture highlighted successful initiatives based on Lithuania’s experience and funded by Lithuania. Among them is the “Create for Ukraine” program to attract Ukrainian talent, whose representatives are currently working successfully at the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture on projects important to that institution, as well as a special professional development program providing more than 70 Ukrainian museum curators, librarians, and restorers to improve their qualifications at Lithuanian memory institutions.
Lithuania’s efforts are not limited to bilateral support - Lithuania is one of the founders of the international “Cultural resilience alliance,” established at the Ukraine reconstruction conference in Rome. This platform functions as a multi-donor network, actively mobilizing financial, technical, and political support for Ukraine’s cultural sector and connecting Ukrainian institutions with partners around the world. During the conference, the already operational Ukrainian cultural heritage fund was presented in detail.
During her working visit to Lviv, Minister V. Aleknavičienė also held bilateral meetings with Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture Tetyana Berezhna and Finnish Minister of Culture and Education Mari-Leena Talvitie. A joint meeting of the participating ministers with Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli was also held.
In Lviv, the Minister of Culture visited cultural institutions that had been destroyed by Russian forces a week earlier and familiarized herself with Ukraine’s ongoing processes for the preservation and evacuation of cultural assets.
Photo by the organizers
Last updated: 02-04-2026