Serafym Kolodchuk returned from Slovakia to contribute to preserving Ukraine’s cultural heritage during the war. Through the Create Ukraine program, which brings Ukrainians with international experience into the public sector, he joined the team of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.
During his studies and work abroad, Serafym visited more than 30 European countries and gained experience working in international institutions and multicultural teams. He worked at Volt Europa in Brussels and at Youthfully Yours SK in Slovakia, where he coordinated international projects, conferences, and Erasmus+ programs. He also gained experience managing European grants in Greece.
Today, Serafym works on launching the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund (UCHF) — a mechanism designed to support the long-term restoration of cultural sites damaged by the war. Within this effort, the team has already formed the Fund’s Board of Directors, approved its strategy through 2027, and strengthened cooperation with international donors.
Another important part of Serafym’s work at the Ministry focuses on evacuating museum collections from frontline regions. Over the past month, he visited more than 50 museums across six regions of Ukraine and is currently working on establishing a coordination center for the evacuation of cultural assets. He also held meetings with representatives of regional military administrations in frontline and rear regions and participated in an offsite meeting of the Parliamentary Subcommittee on Information Policy and European Integration, where the evacuation of cultural property from frontline territories was discussed.
“Russia has already damaged or destroyed more than 1,700 cultural heritage sites in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund should become a tool not only for restoration, but also for preserving our identity. Museums, theaters, cathedrals, and local cultural spaces are centers of community life and collective memory. Their preservation and restoration are essential for the future reintegration of communities, the return of residents, and the rebuilding of Ukraine,” says Serafym Kolodchuk, participant of the Create Ukraine program.
If you would like to become part of the change and join Create Ukraine, leave your email on the project website: Create Ukraine. We will contact you when applications for the third cohort open.
The #CreateUkraine programme is funded by Lithuania through the Lithuanian Fund for the Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid and is aimed at supporting the return and successful integration of Ukrainian youth currently living abroad into Ukraine’s public sector.
The programme is implemented by the Lithuanian Central Project Management Agency in partnership with the KSE Foundation, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and in close cooperation with the Government of Ukraine.
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