The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, and the First Lady of Germany, Elke Büdenbender, launched an audio guide in Ukrainian at the Charlottenburg Palace Museum in Berlin. This is one of the outstanding monuments and symbols of the German capital.
The launch of the audio guide took place in Berlin. Olena Zelenska joined the event from Ukraine via video link.
Elke Büdenbender, the wife of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, took part in the presentation.
The First Lady of Ukraine is convinced that the Russian invasion has given the project of launching Ukrainian audio guides even more relevance because now it is about protecting the Ukrainian language and culture from the invaders.
"Language is something an attacker cannot destroy, no matter how hard he tries," she said.
Also, according to the wife of the President of Ukraine, the project is important for Ukrainian citizens who, due to the war, are temporarily in other countries, particularly Germany.
"After the horrors experienced, Ukrainians, who were scattered around the world, visit museums and excursions because it helps them to experience a peaceful life again and to learn about the country that sheltered them. Our audio guides are a native word for those who were forced to leave Ukraine," Olena Zelenska emphasized.
This is the second Ukrainian audio guide in Berlin, launched as part of Olena Zelenska's project. The first worked at the Museum of Natural History - one of the largest natural history museums in Germany, founded in 1889. Its collections include more than 30 million exhibits. The museum is also known for its interactive multimedia platforms, which help to immerse oneself in natural processes, particularly to look into the world of dinosaurs.
Implementation of the project to create audio guides in the Ukrainian language in the cultural monuments of the world at the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine was started in 2020. More than 40 such audio tours have already been launched in more than 30 countries. In particular, they operate in the Coliseum (Italy), Versailles (France), Albertina Gallery (Austria), Dolmabahce Palace (Turkey), London Tower, and Sanssouci Palace (Potsdam, Germany), etc.