Last year, the installation of the Ukrainian state symbol Trident instead of the Soviet symbols on the shield of the Motherland monument attracted a lot of public attention. To popularize the history of the Ukrainian coat of arms, the Museum presented the exhibition “Sign on the Shield.”
Last month, a series of seminars, “How Did the Trident Defeat the Lion?” moderated by guide Valeriy Plakyda, took place in the museum space. During interactive lectures, students learned about the fascinating debate among the leaders of the Ukrainian national movement in the early twentieth century. The discussion centered on choosing the main heraldic symbol of the Ukrainian People’s Republic in 1918. At that time, the choice of the Trident as a coat of arms was by no means obvious: it had powerful “competitors” such as the Galician lion, the archangel Michael, and a Cossack with a musket.
In February 2024, 19 classes were held, attended by more than 200 children and teenagers from Kyiv and Kyiv region. During this educational journey, the students learned not only about the challenging decisions that the leaders of Ukrainian statehood had to make a century ago but also about the significance of heraldic symbols that have been prevalent throughout Ukraine in different periods and under various historical circumstances.
As a bonus, guests could create their own variations of the Trident and make homemade bracelets.
The Museum continues to develop and conduct educational classes for students. One of the courses is called “The Art of Influence: Propaganda in Times of War.” Under the guidance of the museum employees, guests can study propaganda and its use during the Second World War and the Russian-Ukrainian War.
We invite everyone to explore the history of Ukraine’s past and present in our exhibitions and educational events. For more information, follow the Museum’s announcements.
