Ark I Mobile Safeguard Unit Arrives in Kyiv Ready to Defend Ukraine’s Cultural Heritage

Ark I, a specialized mobile unit which will help safeguard rare manuscripts, books and archival documents in Ukraine that have been damaged during the war or are threatened by external conditions, has been delivered to Kyiv. This marks a crucial milestone in the Ark for Ukraine’s mission to protect the nation’s cultural heritage since the project was initiated over a year ago in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the Czech ICOM Committee and the National Library of the Czech Republic – along with key private donors like the Karel Komarek Family Foundation.

To date, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has verified damage to more than 450 cultural sites, including 32 museums and 17 libraries and their contents, which are central to Ukrainian history, culture and identity.

Following intensive, expert-led training, Ark I will travel to at-risk cultural sites across Ukraine. The mission will be led by a team of experts from the Yaroslav Mudryi National Library of Ukraine. This first vehicle will focus on digitizing and preserving as many text-based items as possible, including manuscripts, books and other important written artifacts, as well as scientific and academic literature. Along with its restoration and digitization equipment, Ark I has been specially designed for operating in hostile locations and provides secure transportation.

Oleh Serbin, Director General of the Yaroslav Mudryi National Library of Ukraine, explains: "We have established a comprehensive deployment strategy for this mobile preservation unit. However, given the current security challenges in our country, we must maintain strict confidentiality about its specific destinations and operations to protect both our irreplaceable cultural heritage and the dedicated professionals operating this equipment. The partnership with the National Library of the Czech Republic extends beyond the provision of equipment, encompassing specialised online training programs, professional development initiatives, and remote and on-site collaborative events. And as we are an all-Ukrainian methodological centre for all public libraries here, we talk about all-Ukrainian coordination. This project is not only about our library, but the Ukrainian library community”.

The Ark for Ukraine Project is a public-private initiative that aims to mitigate the cultural losses arising from the conflict. Led by the Czech Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Ukrainian government and the Czech National Library, Ark is funded by private donors like the Karel Komárek Family Foundation (KKFF), entrepreneur Libor Winkler, and leading firms such as MND and Allwyn, part of businessman and philanthropist Karel Komárek’s KKCG Group. Additional funding is being sought for future missions to allow cultural workers in affected areas to make digital copies and 3D scans of objects, such as frescoes, which cannot be removed from their current settings.

Tomáš Foltýn, Director General of the National Library of the Czech Republic explains:

“Our goal is not only to help save Ukraine’s archival and literary treasures, which are a formative part of our cultural heritage, but also to ensure the safety of the mobile unit and the experts working within it.”

Karel Komárek, founder of KKCG and co-founder of the Karel Komárek Family Foundation, adds:

“In times of war, protecting culture is not a luxury; it is essential for sustaining a people’s sense of self and hopes for recovery. With government and NGO budgets already stretched thin from providing essential humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine, more innovative approaches to protect and preserve cultural heritage are needed. Public-private partnerships like the Ark project not only help stem the losses endured by Ukraine, but serve as a new global model for cultural preservation in the twenty-first century.”

Martin Baxa, Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic, provides additional context:

“As Minister of Culture, I consider this form of aid to be exceptionally important. Culture represents a nation's historical memory and soul, serving as a strong point for people to turn to in times of difficulty. What has been achieved and the profound message the Ark project conveys is remarkable. This initiative results from a unique collaboration between the public and private sectors, proving that we can join forces for a noble cause when it matters most. I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to bringing this project to life—the generous donors, the Czech Republic and Ukraine Libraries, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, my colleagues from the Ministry, and many others.”