Project description:

Challenge: After Russia occupied Crimea in 2014, 565 priceless artifacts from Crimean museums, which Ukraine had lent for an exhibition, ended up in the Netherlands. Russia attempted to appropriate them and claim their cultural value, although the collection legally belongs to Ukraine. Getting the collection back was a national challenge. It meant defending not only ownership but also identity, history, and global recognition of Crimea as part of Ukraine.

Solution: The BGV Charity Fund became the leading partner of the large-scale exhibition “Treasures of Crimea. The Return,” uniting the government, museums, artists, businesses, and media. The team created a project that connected past and present, culture and resilience, diplomacy and charity. The exhibition was more than an event. It became a symbol of justice prevailing over aggression.

Result: 565 artifacts finally returned home after 10 years of court battles and are now on display at the National Museum of History of Ukraine. Tens of thousands have visited the exhibition, and millions learned about it through the media. The Scythian gold jewelry piece raised UAH 1,000,000 for electronic warfare equipment for the Azov Brigade. The project blended heritage and modernity, proving the power of unity, law, and Ukraine’s resilience in reclaiming Crimea.

Partners:

The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, National Museum of the History of Ukraine, Treasury of the National Museum of History of Ukraine, NGO Institute of Public Communications, First Lady Olena Zelenska, GUNIA Project, Uklon, PrivatBank, Vodafone, Ukrinform, Public Broadcasting, Hromadske, 1+1 Media, ICTV Facts, Okna-novyny, Harper’s Bazaar Ukraine, Elle Ukraine.

Category: Social Change

Company: Charitable Fund BGV Charitable Organisation

About the company: 

The BGV Charity Fund was founded by Ukrainian business representatives in March 2022 to support Ukraine during the war and post-war reconstruction. The company’s mission is to unite people and resources to help Ukraine’s recovery efforts and people in need. The company focuses on four areas, including psychosocial support, education, crisis response, and culture and sports as tools for identity preservation and recovery.