On 26 May, the War Museum hosted the opening of the art project exhibition “Barrier-Free Means Seeing the Person Behind the Words” and the panel discussion “Barrier-Free Culture: From Accessibility to Inclusion”.
The event brought together representatives of the government sector, cultural institutions, businesses, civil society organizations, and all those who care about creating an open and accessible environment for everyone.
Participants had the opportunity to view an exhibition of illustrations by Ukrainian artists exploring barrier-free communication, respect for human dignity, and the power of language.
The panel discussion focused on the role of culture in building a barrier-free society, the importance of accessible museum and cultural spaces, and practical steps toward greater inclusion of different groups in the country’s cultural life.
In his welcoming remarks, Yurii Savchuk, Director General of the War Museum, emphasized that a separate Sector for Cultural Rehabilitation and Barrier-Free Accessibility had been established at the Museum a year ago. Its work is aimed at further developing the Museum’s barrier-free approach at all levels.
The discussion was opened by Anastasiia Bondar, Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformation, and Digitalization. She noted that inclusion and digitalization go hand in hand, as demonstrated by modern technologies already being implemented in museum spaces and resources.
The following speakers also joined the discussion:
- Lesia Khemraieva, Head of the Department for Barrier-Free Policy, Gender Equality and Mental Health at the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine;
- Aliona Lebedka, Barrier-Free Accessibility Manager at the European Business Association;
- Jose Hernandez, Deputy Director General of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine;
- Svitlana Slastennikova, Head of the Research and Education Department at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine;
- Yurii Ivaskevych, People’s Artist of Ukraine, veteran, and Barrier-Free Accessibility Ambassador of the Ministry of Culture;
- Mariia Samoilova, Barrier-Free Accessibility Specialist at the War Museum and Barrier-Free Accessibility Ambassador.
The discussion was moderated by Iryna Uzhakova, Head of the Sector for Cultural Rehabilitation and Barrier-Free Accessibility at the War Museum.
We are sincerely grateful to all the speakers, partners, and guests for their meaningful dialogue, openness, and readiness to work together toward change. After all, barrier-free accessibility begins not only with architectural solutions, but also with our attitudes, our language, and our ability to see the person behind the words.
The project was implemented as part of the nationwide campaign “Barrier-Free Means When You Can”, held within the “Without Barriers” initiative launched by First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.
