National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library receives award for preserving Slavic heritage worldwide

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library received international recognition for preserving cultural identity and heritage worldwide during a conference hosted in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library was awarded the Diploma for Preserving Slavic Heritage Worldwide by The Forum of Slavic Cultures, an international nonprofit headquartered in Slovenia. The nonprofit promotes cultural dialog and cooperation among almost 250 museums and heritage sites across 13 Slavic countries.

At the forum’s annual conference, several cultural organizations were recognized at the Živa Award ceremony, named after the Slavic goddess Živa, who symbolizes life, vitality and fertility.

A special highlight of this year’s Živa edition was the introduction of the Živa Award for Best in Preserving Slavic Heritage Worldwide. This new award recognizes initiatives that preserve Slavic cultural heritage and identity worldwide. Four museums from Italy, Hungary and the United States competed for this new award.

In May, the NCSML leadership team met with the Živa Award jury in a video conference and live-streamed tour of the galleries, library and museum store. In the final portion of the award competition, all 32 Živa Award nominees presented at the international conference. Cecilia Rokusek, NCSML president and CEO, and Stefanie Kohn, curator, delivered a presentation detailing the mission, vision, history and accomplishments of NCSML.

“These presentations showcased the vital roles these museums play in bringing cultural heritage to life,” the Forum of Slavic Cultures said in a press release. “They have become living, inclusive spaces of memory, dialogue and creativity. They are advocates of remembering the past in order to shape the future, time travelers who use technology, visual interpretation and storytelling to bring history to life, chroniclers who engage communities and record our present, and visionaries who embrace innovation and identify new trends to build a more resilient and responsible future.”

For a full list of winners, visit fsk.si/the-winners-of-the-ziva-25-award.