Round Table “Babiy Yar: Tragedy, Memory, Prevention”
September 28, 2015
Kyiv, Ukrinform
Organizers: Assembly of Nationalities of Ukraine, All-Ukrainian Charitable Fund “To You” (ACF 2U) and Jewish Forum of Ukraine (JFU)
Participants:
Rovshan Tagiyev – the Assembly of Nationalities of Ukraine Head;
Arkadiy Monastyrskiy – Jewish Forum of Ukraine (JFU) President;
Julia Goldenberg – All-Ukrainian Charitable Fund “To You” Board Chair (ACF 2U);
Anna Rabinovich – Israeli Cultural Center Director, Embassy of the State of Israel to Ukraine;
Olexander Naiman – Executive Director of “Academy of History and Culture of Jews named after Shimon Dubnov”;
Ashot Avanesyan – Council of National and Cultural Communities Head;
Mykhailo Yamnenko, President of All-Ukrainian NGO “International Academy of the Cossacks” and President of “National Council of Cossack Ukraine”;
Boris Glazunov, Director of the National Historical and Memorial Reserve Babiy Yar
In the course of the event the participants discussed the steps that should be taken to solve the current challenges and measures to maintain a tolerant multicultural and multi-ethnic society that was inherent in Ukraine.
Scientist, historians, human rights activists, representatives of civil society, diplomats, government officials, journalists took part in the round table.
Mykhailo Yamnenko, President of All-Ukrainian NGO “International Academy of the Cossacks” and President of “National Council of Cossacks of Ukraine” stated that Cossacks of Ukraine are ready to protect the National Historical and Memorial Reserve Babiy Yar, if there is such a proposal. He emphasized that vandalism should no longer be repeated at the site of the murder of tens of thousands of Jews, Ukrainians, war prisoners.
All-Ukrainian Charitable Fund “To You” Board Chair (ACF 2U) Julia Goldenberg pointed out that Babiy Yar is the largest children’s grave of the Second World War; it is not only the tragedy of the Jewish people, it is a tragedy of Ukraine, because here during the occupation of Kyiv there were shootings of Ukrainian nationalists and war prisoners. “Thus, the museum is needed. The museum which tells the coming generations, our children about this tragedy, which tells, what actually had happened in Babiy Yar. I do hope that on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the tragedy we would meet in a new premise of the museum where we would commemorate the memory of those who were murdered in Babiy Yar”.
Jewish Forum of Ukraine (JFU) President Arkadiy Monastyrskiy informed those who were present that Jewish organizations of Ukraine asked country leaders to assist in opening of Holocaust Museum in Babiy Yar in by the 75th anniversary of the tragedy.
“Babiy Yar Museum in Kiev should appear by the 75th anniversary of the tragedy. 74 years have passed since the beginning of the shootings, but still in Kiev there is no museum that would remind people about this terrible tragedy,” Monastyrskiy said and turned to the state leadership to assist in the opening the museum.
He pointed out that as of today there are 25 monuments at Babi Yar and in the area; the National Historical and Memorial Reserve has been established but it has no fence, no office on its territory, no cameras. Therefore Babi Yar is attractive for vandals. Thus, this September, swastika appeared on the Menorah and on the eve of the Jewish New Year on the night of September 13 unknown people surrounded the monument with car tires and set the fire. “It is not just a public insult of honor and dignity of the Jewish people, but also a humiliation for the country and its government”, Monastyrskiy stated.
In his turn Boris Glazunov, Director of the National Historical and Memorial Reserve Babiy Yar, noted that master plan of the territory arrangement has been developed; there is a pre-proposals of the Memorial Museum; project of the Righteous Gentiles Alley has been drafted, which could be implemented during a year by the 75th anniversary of the tragedy. He also stressed that it is necessary to fence the reserve to prevent new acts of vandalism.
By the results of the Round Table a collective appeal to the President and Prime Minister of Ukraine, to the Verkhovna Rada Speaker and people’s deputies was adopted.
Assembly of Nationalities of Ukraine, All-Ukrainian Charitable Fund “To You” (ACF 2U) and Jewish Forum of Ukraine (JFU)
conducted round table dedicated to the 74th anniversary of Babiy Yar tragedy
Kyiv, September 21, 2015
Appeal of Jewish public organizations and associations of Ukraine
The last act of brutal vandalism at Babi Yar – the site of massacre of tens of thousands of Jews – is not just a public insult of honor and dignity of the Jewish people, but also a humiliation for the country and its government, which inaction made possible this crime as well as other similar acts of abuse in Kiev and other Ukrainian settlements.
We demand the immediate and effective steps to prevent vandalism in the future along with the strengthening of criminal responsibility for vandalism and punishment of the organizers and executors of this crime. We would like to remind that the acts of vandalism at Babi Yar and other places is only a visible part of a much larger problem of abuse of hundreds of Jewish massacre sites throughout the country.
Almost no reaction of civil society and mass media, no feedback from authorities and law enforcement agencies in respect to the events in Babi Yar clearly indicate ignorance of the society in respect to the large-scale tragedy that happened to the Jews of Ukraine during the Holocaust.
On the eve of the anniversary of the tragic events at Babi Yar and the most important day of the Jewish calendar, we urge the President of Ukraine, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and people’s deputies of all levels, Head of the Kyiv City State Administration, heads of law enforcement agencies, political parties and civil society organizations to pay special attention to the protection of tranquility and memory of innocent victims – our brothers and sisters murdered in Holocaust.
“Babiy Yar: Tragedy, Memory, Prevention”
The event took place on September 28, 2015
Kyiv, Ukrinform
Scientist, historians, human rights activists, representatives of civil society, diplomats, government officials, journalists took part in the round table.
By the results of the Round Table a collective appeal to the President and Prime Minister of Ukraine, to the Verkhovna Rada Speaker was adopted.
Based on the results of our discussion in respect to the current situation of Babiy Yar and to solve the challenges faced by the National Historical and Memorial Reserve Babiy Yar, we propose the following:
1. To establish International Committee for the development of the National Historical and Memorial Reserve Babiy Yar;
2. To implement in full the recommendations of the Verkhovna Rada of July 5, 2011 № 3560-VI «On the seventieth anniversary of the Babiy Yar” (hereinafter – Reserve), which provides handing over to the National Historical and Memorial Reserve “Babiy Yar” the building located in Kyiv, 44, Melnikova st, (the former Jewish cemetery office). This building, which is a monument of culture, is not in use as of today.
3. To support the implementation of the project of Reserve Reconstruction (order of the Ministry of Culture Ukraine №1367). The project plan includes the territory arrangement of the Reserve “Babiy Yar”, which was developed by State enterprise “Ukrainian scientific, methodical, research and information center of the architectural heritage”.
4. To open at the National Museum of History of Ukraine the permanent exhibition of “History and Culture of the Jews of Ukraine.” This exhibition, prepared by the Jewish Foundation of Ukraine, was exhibied in Israeli cultural center (Kyiv), the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the National Museum of History of Ukraine, and other museums.
5. To set the signposts in Babiy Yar area for guests and Kyiv residents
6. To take as a basis of Babiy Yar and Holocaust Museum Larissa Skorik’s project, approved by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.
7. Ukraine must join international organization Task Force International Holocaust Education.
Signatures of Organization that support this Resolution:
1. Assembly of Nationalities of Ukraine
2. All-Ukrainian Charitable Fund “To You”
3. Jewish Forum of Ukraine
4. The Council of National and Cultural Societies
5. The Council of Elders of Ukraine
6. All-Ukrainian NGO “International Academy of the Cossacks”
7. Ukrainian Jewish Committee