Lviv to Host Second Module of ‘Roots and Wings’ Mentoring Program for Ukrainian History Teachers
On July 10–12, 2026, Lviv will host the second module of the Summer School within the mentoring program “Roots and Wings: A History That Unites,” implemented by the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation for teachers of history and humanities disciplines at Ukrainian schools.
Program Goals
The program is aimed at the professional development of educators who seek to master modern methods of teaching history, work with themes of historical memory, help students develop critical thinking, and use the latest educational tools in the learning process.
Program Structure
The mentoring program consists of three three-day in-person modules, three online meetings, and a final meeting scheduled for October.
Theme of the Second Module
The second module, taking place July 10–12 in Lviv, focuses on the theme “Human Rights and Freedoms: The Struggle During War.” The training will be based on methodological recommendations for the project “Bykivnia, Babyn Yar, Bucha — Between Massacre and Its Memory,” which help teachers work with difficult historical topics, examine questions of human rights and crimes of totalitarian regimes, engage with the culture of memory, and draw historical parallels between the tragedies of the 20th century and the current Russian-Ukrainian war.
Training Location
Training will take place at three partner locations — the Lviv Cultural Hub, the National Museum-Memorial to Victims of Occupation Regimes “Lontskoho Prison,” and the Roman Ivanychuk Lviv Regional Youth Library. Each of these venues will serve as a space for lectures, discussions, hands-on work, and reflection on historical memory.
Day One: A Conversation About Memory
The first day will begin with a presentation of the methodological recommendations and a discussion on the topic “How to Talk to Students About Tragedies?” One of the key speakers will be Olha Salo, head of cultural initiatives at the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation, who has worked for more than 15 years in the fields of cultural heritage, museum studies, cultural policy, and the politics of national memory.
Day Two: At Lontskoho Prison
The second day will take place at the National Museum-Memorial to Victims of Occupation Regimes “Lontskoho Prison.” One of the central events will be a meeting with Olesia Isaiuk, a historian and researcher of the Ukrainian liberation movement and the history of Ukrainians in Nazi concentration camps. She will deliver a lecture titled “Ukrainians in the Service of Empire: Voluntary Renegades or Victims of Systemic Genocide?” Afterward, participants will meet with Volodymyr Viatrovych, PhD in History, member of the Ukrainian parliament, and one of the leading researchers of the Ukrainian liberation movement.
The program also includes a thematic tour of the museum and a practical session titled “The Struggle for Rights,” dedicated to the history of the fight for human dignity and freedom.
Final Day of the Program
The final day of the program will take place at the Roman Ivanychuk Lviv Regional Youth Library. Participants will meet with Dariia Hirna, a journalist, writer, and researcher of Ukrainian history.
The mentoring program “Roots and Wings: A History That Unites” creates a space for teachers’ professional development, combining modern educational methods, historical memory, and practical experience. Through collaboration with leading Ukrainian historians, scholars, museum professionals, and experts, participants gain practical tools that will help their students develop a responsible attitude toward history, respect for human rights, and an awareness of the value of freedom and human dignity. As we previously reported, the first module of the program took place in Kyiv.
