Babyn Yar: And the Thousands of Ravines of Memory. How We Reflect on the Past During Wartime

A roundtable discussion titled “Babyn Yar: And the Thousands of Ravines of Memory Across Ukraine” brought together historians, museum professionals, researchers, and civil society representatives. The event aimed to explore approaches to preserving the memory of genocide, and to discuss new research initiatives and cultural practices that help reframe the tragic pages of the past.

Natalia Tomenko, Deputy Director of the Youth Agency for the Advocacy of Roma Culture ARCA, took part in the event, speaking in the panel discussion “Art and Memory.” Alongside colleagues from museums, national memory institutes, and cultural centers, she discussed how contemporary art enables conversations about genocide, trauma, and the experience of survival.

Participants reflected on the role of culture in preserving historical memory and how art can help restore dialogue between generations and communities. The memory of 20th-century tragedies is not only about archives or scholarly work — it is also a contemporary cultural effort that allows society to critically engage with the past.

“The exhibition ‘The Invisible. Resilience: The Past and Present of Roma’ is an attempt to look at history through personal stories. It leads visitors along a journey — from invisibility to voice. From archival documents about the genocide of Roma and eyewitness testimonies to contemporary artworks through which young artists interpret the experiences of their families and their own identities,” noted Natalia Tomenko during her presentation.

The exhibition, developed by ARCA, integrates historical documents, maps of execution sites, archival photographs, artistic works, and digital components — including animation, an interactive book, and video testimonies. It concludes with a documentary theater performance “Voices That Have Names,” which links the history of the Roma genocide with the experience of Roma communities during the current full-scale war.

The roundtable also emphasized the importance of ongoing research, testimony collection, and archival work — particularly with materials that had long been inaccessible or silenced. Both fascist and Soviet regimes actively suppressed evidence of crimes against Roma, Jews, and other persecuted groups. Today, restoring historical truth is not only about remembrance — it is also a matter of justice.

In times of war, such initiatives carry particular significance. Russian attacks on the Babyn Yar site serve as a symbolic reminder of attempts to erase memory and destroy cultural markers of identity. That is why supporting public dialogue, cultural initiatives, and research projects dedicated to memory preservation is critically important.