The Ukraine Culture Network UCN and Kornhaus Bibliotheken Bern (Kornhaus libraries, KOB) will jointly organize a series of events to raise awareness of the ongoing war against Ukrainian libraries. This war is part of the war the Russian Federation wages against Ukrainian culture and identity.
Events will take place at the main building of Kornhausbibliotheken at Kornhausplatz 18 in Bern on December 2nd and 3rd, 2025.
Below is the tentative program. Please check this site some days ahead of the events for the final program.
Registration
Please register under this link if you would like to attend some or all of the events.
Day 1 - Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025
19.30 Panel discussion (in English)
The panel will focus on the situation of Ukrainian libraries, the targeting of Ukrainian culture by the Russian Federation, Ukraine’s resilience and the support needed.
Panelists include Kateryna Yehorushkina, writer and representative of PEN Ukraine; Viktoriia Polova, administrative coordinator, Ukrainian Library Association; Thord Eriksson, Editor-in-chief, Swedish Library Association; Lars Ilshammar, historian and former deputy head of the Swedish National Library.
20.30 Vernissage of an exhibition of photographer Åke Ericson. Ericson recently traveled to Ukraine to document the situation of libraries. You will find a selection of his photos under this link.
Day 2 - Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025
9.30 half-day Conference on the war against Ukrainian libraries and literature (in English)
The Conference will focus on the situation and needs of Ukrainian libraries, writers and journalists, also in temporarily occupied territories, on printed cultural heritage and its protection.
Speakers include Ambassador Jacques Gerber, Delegate of the Swiss Government for Ukraine; Viktoriia Polova, administrative coordinator, Ukrainian Library Association; Andrej Kurkow / Andrey Kurkov, writer; Kateryna Yehorushkina, writer, representative of PEN Ukraine; Thord Eriksson, Editor-in-chief, Swedish Library Association; Olha Petryshyn, Head of Literature at the Ukrainian Institute, and others.
17.00 Lesung und öffentliche Diskussion mit Andrej Kurkow (in deutscher Sprache)
19.30 Premiere of documentary „Songs of Slow Burning Earth”, directed by Olha Zhurba
The film is a co-production of Ukraine, Sweden, Denmark and France; it will be screened, in presence of the Ambassadors of Ukraine and Sweden, at cinema Cinématte, Wasserwerkgasse 7, 3011 Bern
The events enjoy the support of the Embassies of Ukraine and Sweden in Switzerland. UCN and KOB are thankful for the close cooperation with the Swedish Library Association on these events. They gratefully acknowledge support by the Landis & Gyr Foundation.
 |
 |
 |
