At one of her classes, Yuliya Davydiuk, teacher at the Pokaliv Lyceum in the Zhytomyr region and moderator of the school’s Docudays UA documentary film club, was looking through her student’s small family album. The girl was showing pictures of her father, who sacrificed his life for Ukraine, and sharing warm, sincere memories of what he was like at home – how he laughed, what he loved, and what stories he used to tell her.
Reprinted from Zhytomyr Magazine.
This conversation with the student sparked the advocacy project “Voices of Memory,” initiated by the Docudays UA film club “OVRUCHdim” at the Pokaliv Lyceum in the Zhytomyr region with the support of the DOCU/CLUB Network. Yuliya Davydiuk argues that oral history can serve as a tool for healing, unity, and the development of the large community in the state border area.
Yuliya Davydiuk, initiator of the “Voices of Memory” advocacy project
The film club’s team has been working on preserving memories since the first year of the full-scale invasion. The moderator engaged members of her community in creating the Memorial Alley to honor fellow villagers. However, over time, it became clear that there was a deep need for a more detailed, vivid documentation of their stories.
Yuliya Davydiuk explains that the idea of recording and preserving these voices gradually brought together all kinds of people. The first to respond to her call were 9th to 11th-grade students of the Pokaliv Lyceum. Many of them are children of active-duty military personnel, and some of the fathers had, unfortunately, died on the front line. The children shared their thoughts, perspectives, and ideas. Over time, the circle expanded: the Ovruch City Council’s Department for Humanitarian Affairs, the Department for Culture and Tourism, and the Center for Social Services all joined in developing the program.
A memorial for the fallen heroes
The memory preservation program they jointly created involves recording, documenting, and collecting oral histories on dedicated local platforms. As part of an advocacy project, the “OVRUCHdim” film club launched a modern Educational and Historical Information Center in the city of Ovruch. In addition to the film club, two other platforms will collect oral histories from residents of the Ovruch region: the Andriy Malyshko Central Library, which will focus on audio and video recordings, and the Ovruch History Museum.
Photo: Film screening for the experts who will be collecting testimonies about war
The digital archive for oral history will be used for large-scale educational events, exhibitions, and publications in local and national media.
The path from an advocacy idea to the approval of the official “Voices of Memory” program via a petition submitted to the city council was not an easy one. Ultimately, the authorities approved the program with practically no changes.
Yuliya Davydiuk assures that the “Voices of Memory” advocacy project will not merely be a record of losses: “The life-affirming power of memory helps us overcome collective trauma. Preserving memory is important for our future.” Thus, through the heartfelt stories of eyewitnesses and by involving psychologists, librarians, and high school students, the Ovruch community is creating a strong shield against oblivion. The voices of our defenders and the people who survived the occupation and bombardments must be preserved for future generations.
The project is implemented with the support of the DOCU/CLUB Network, funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, Fondation de France, and the German Marshall Fund of the United States of America.
The opinions, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the authors and compilers of this publication and do not necessarily reflect the views of the governments or charitable organizations of these countries. The authors and compilers are solely responsible for the content of this publication.
