This November, the Central Taras Shevchenko Library for Children became the centre of Antarctica in Kyiv. This cosy library hosted a unique exhibition ‘Colours of the White Continent’.
The exhibition features incredible photographs by Serhii Glotov, a biologist of the 27th and 28th Ukrainian Antarctic Expeditions. These photos are complemented by photo collages by the National Antarctic Scientific Center.
The exhibition had two openings: for adults and for children.
The first one took place on Thursday, 14 November, with the participation of Serhiy Anzhyak, Director of the Department of Culture of the Kyiv City State Administration, and Yana Bilenko, Director of the Library.
Visitors can take a look at the Antarctic thanks to a live broadcast from Vernadsky station. During his welcoming speech, Yurii Otruba, Head of the 29th UAE, showed, in particular, sub-Antarctic penguins nesting right next to the station building.
All participants also had the opportunity to talk live with the author of the exhibition, Serhiy Glotov, and Yuriy Lyshenko, a multiple participant in Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions and a veteran of the current war.
There were many questions: from the types of research conducted at the station to the organisation of everyday life and interaction with the vulnerable Antarctic world.
Anyone could buy Serhiy’s postcards for a donation to the ‘military penguins’ – polar explorers who joined the Ukrainian army.
On Friday, 15 November, the exhibition was opened for children. They were very excited about the photos and videos of Antarctica, especially its inhabitants, and even re-shooted their favourite photos with mobiles.
The kids also had a lot of questions, especially about the life of penguins and seals.
We hope that this meeting made the children dream of a icy continent and that in the future we will see some of them among Ukrainian polar explorers.
We sincerely thank the staff of the Central Taras Shevchenko Library for Children, in particular Oleksandra Panchenko, for the excellent organisation of both openings.
We would like to remind you that the exhibition will be open until 30 November 2024 at the following address: 25A Beresteysky Avenue.
It is open during the library’s working hours: Monday – Friday from 9:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday – days off.
The entrance is free, so we invite everyone to see “the Colours of White Content”.
Wonderful photos by Oleksandra Panchenko and Kateryna Stankevych.