Libraries, Children and Literature in Ukraine-in Times of War and Peace

Visit from Ukraine - left to right: Dr. Ulrich Meyer-Doerpinghaus (Director of the University and State Library Bonn), Ludmyla Yudko (translator), Anna Tyurina (Crocus Publishing, co-publisher), Alla Gordiienko (National Library of Ukraine for Children, Director), Olha Dubova (National Library of Ukraine for Children, Head of the Department of Foreign Language Literature) Dr. Matthieu Osmont (Direction Institut Francais) © Photo: Volker Lannert/Uni Bonn . Two librarians and a publisher from Ukraine have been reporting on their experiences in a discussion held at the University of Bonn, organized by the Bonn University and State Library (USL) together with RWTH Aachen University. Birgit Ulrike Münch, Vice Rector for International Affairs, welcomed the speakers and guests to the event entitled "Libraries, Children and Literature in Ukraine-in Times of War and Peace." "As well as preserving Ukraine's culture and cultural life in wartime, their work is also giving children and young people an outlet," she said. "Culture and education are the antidote to xenophobia and war; culture fosters dialogue; cultural identity cannot be allowed to be destroyed. They are playing a significant part in preserving this identity, this heritage, for the most important generations, which are the ones still to come." Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, numerous libraries, museums, archives and churches across the country have been attacked, destroyed and looted in a targeted campaign.