Webinar "Museums as sites of citizenship"

20 months into the full-scale war in Europe, museums and cultural institutions are facing the need to re-shape their work with youth.

Educational programs at museums are challenged to find ways to facilitate critical yet sensitive reflection on society, history, cultural heritage, national memory and identity. Inclusive and participatory museum spaces are critical for school students to learn how to deal with controversial issues in the present and the past, foster inclusive dialogue in the society and transform painful experience into constructive actions in the local community.

The discussion will facilitate expert exchange on challenges for citizenship education at museums in different countries across Europe, encourage museum educators to define priorities for international cooperation in order to face joint challenges in Europe and agree on possible further steps and partnerships.

The webinar will be held in English and Ukrainian with simultaneous translation. 

Preliminary Agenda:
Introduction: Citizenship Education and strengthening the culture of democracy in the museum’s space, Ihor Poshyvaylo, Museum of the Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv
Ana Perona Fjeldstad, EWC.

Short presentations followed by joint discussions:

  • Challenges for transformation of the traumatic experience and how educational programs in the museums can help heal trauma – Lesya Onyshko, Museum of the Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv.

Discussants:
Mykola Skyba, head of the Agency for Cultural Strategies, education expert of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future;
Tetyana Sheptytska, deputy head of the National Memorial “Bykivnya graves”.

  • The role of educational programs in the museums in shaping the national memory – Lucja Koch, POLIN Museum, Warsaw.

Discussants:
Oleksandra Kozoroh, Ukrainian Helsinki Group for Human Rights
Svitlana Osypchuk, The War Childhood Museum in Ukraine (TBC).

  • Addressing controversial issues in the museums’ educational activities for school children – Stine Furan, Anne Lene Andersen, 22nd of July Center, Oslo.

Discussants:
Khrystyna Chushak, European Wergleand Center (EWC), Lviv In-Service Teacher Training Institute.

Nadiya Vasylyshyn, Territory of the Terror Museum, Lviv (TBC)
Moderated by Lesya Onyshko (Museum of the Revolution of Dignity), Iryna Sabor (EWC).