February 24, 2022 will stick in the memory of every Ukrainian forever. Ever since our museum life has irrevocably changed. First of all, these are the changes in the mind of every museum worker concerned with the preservation of national cultural assets.

Since the beginning of the large-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, the National Preserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" has held the cultural frontline - both as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and as one of the largest leading national museum institutions, the collection of which includes more than 72 000 items of the Museum Fund of Ukraine.

A wide range of foreign museum institutions did not remain aloof. Generous cultural humanitarian aid arrives from all concerned international partners to protect the cultural heritage of Ukraine from damage and destruction. Germany is one of our reliable partners. Ukraine Art Aid Center, on the initiative of Stephan Dömpke, who visited the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, and with the special assistance of World Heritage Watch, provided the Preserve with a significant amount of packaging material and equipment for the storage of museum exhibits. Today it is safe to say that we have whatever is required to preserve the major part of the collection.

Our sincere gratitude to Stephan Dömpke, Olena Balun, and Iryna Nikiforova for their personal involvement, support, professional approach and understanding of urgent museum needs. Together - we are a strong force on the way to Victory! Waiting for our meeting in Kyiv, in particular in the National Preserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra", after the war!