Platform “Ukrainian Moment” is a unique national stills library of visual content from the XIX century till the present time. The resource works since the end of May. The main idea is to concentrate and systematize old and modern Ukrainian photographs. “It’s pleasant to look at the photos of the old Kharkiv, comparing them with new modern photos,” said Yurii Balaniuk, the head and co-founder of the Ukrainian photograph library “Ukrainian Moment” during a press briefing at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center.
About 1700 photos of Ukrainian photographers have been already posted on the website. Among these photographers are Konstantyn Hrishyn, Bohdan Babak, Yulia Kuleba, Anatoliy Hnatovych, Iryna Staryk etc. One of the ideas of “Ukrainian Moment” is to create a positive image of Ukraine in the world. “This is the cheapest way to popularize Ukraine as a country, its culture, its life, its problems”, – added the famous Ukrainian photographer Ihor Haidai, author of three photo books: “Ukrainians. The beginning of the third millennium” (1996-2003),”9 months + 3 days” (2006-2008),” RAZOM.UA”(2004-2011).
The platform has two main tasks. “The first one is to reveal multiple dimensions of Ukrainian traditions and history and position us in a global context. The second one – the platform consolidates a Ukrainian photo movement”, – noted the co-founder of the “Ukrainian Moment” Danylo Tsvok.
The name of the photo library is not a coincidence. “These two words – the Ukrainian Moment – very clearly convey the main message of the platform: the cost of the moment, the cost of the historical moment, which is recorded in the photographs of photographers and which becomes a story”, – said Serhiy Proskurnia, theater director, cultural figure and creative director of Eurovision-2017.
Among the main tasks of the platform is the promotion of the national identity of the Ukrainian people. “I would love everyone looking through photos, no matter whether historical or contemporary, to feel themselves Ukrainians. History is always with us,” said Oleksandr Sviatotsky, co-founder of the photo library, academician of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, President of the Charitable Organization “All-Ukrainian Charitable Foundation for European Integration, Security and Humanitarian Projects ‘Revival of Ukraine’”.
Director of the Ivan Pshenychnyi Central State Cinema Archive of Ukraine Vladyslav Berkovskyi said that the platform is one of the possible chances of promoting not only the Ukrainian product but also the Ukrainian spirit and ideas. “This is an opportunity to show that Ukraine has existed since ancient times … and the Ukrainian people are not a fiction” emphasized Mr. Berkovskyi.
“Ukrainian Moment guarantees full protection of copyright, observance of human rights and legal protection of those who upload their own photos to the platform,” added Mykola Stefanchuk, director of the publishing house “In Jure”.
“Design of the site is a combination of convenient and functional ideas employing minimalism and simplicity in the website,” said the designer and co-founder of the platform Yulia Martyn.
So far, the site operates in test mode.