The Forum of Slavic Cultures celebrated the nominated Slavic museums and the winners of the Živa Award 2023, on its ninth anniversary from 2 to 4 October 2023 in Bratislava.
This festive event, which ended on October 4 with the announcement of the Živa Award 2023 prizes-winning museums, was prepared in cooperation and with the support of the Slovak National Museum, represented by Branislav Panis, its General Director and also a member of the Živa Jury. The Živa Award 2023 event was opened by Mrs Silvia Hroncová, Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic. It was held in the inspiring environment of the Slovak National Museum – Museum of History at the Bratislava Castle.
In the past nine years, the Forum of Slavic Cultures, the founder of the Živa Award, led by Dr Andreja Rihter (Slovenia), has greatly contributed to the recognition of museums of the Slavic countries in all their diversity, embracing their Slavic essence and the wealth of their heritage. This year the judges of the Živa Award nominated 24 museums from 10 countries.
The winners of the Živa Award 2023 are: The Živa Award 2023 for the Best Slavic Museum was conferred on National Museum in Leskovac, Serbia. The Živa Award 2023 for the Best Slavic Heritage Site was awarded to DUBoak Maritime Heritage Interpretation Centre, Malinska, Croatia. Honourable Mention was granted to the Museum of Emigration from Slovakia to North America, Pavlovce nad Uhom – Ťahyňa, Slovakia. Five Special Recognitions were awarded to: Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina for Sustainability; Nadežda Petrović Аrt Gallery, Čačak, Serbia for Attention to Visitors and Openness; Říčany Museum, Czech Republic for Creativity; Velenje Museum, Slovenia for Leadership and Team Efficiency and Krško Cultural Centre, Rajhenburg Castle unit, Slovenia for Storytelling.
While, all seven of the museums of Ukraine nominated for the Živa Award 2023 were acknowledged by the Živa Jury 2023 as an exemplary case, and are rewarded with a particular and a unique title Culture Heroes of the Slavic Heritage. The receivers of the Title are: Dmytro Yavornytsky Dnipro National Historical Museum; Lviv National Literary Memorial Museum of Ivan Franko; Public Institution Kmytiv Museum of Art named after Y. Bukhanchuk of Zhitomyr Regional Counсil; Public Institution Khmelnytskyi Regional Art Museum; Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life in Lviv named after Klymentii Sheptytskyi; M. F. Sumtsov Kharkiv Historical Museum and Odesa Fine Arts Museum.
These Ukrainian museums distinguish themselves by their determination and striving to protect the Ukrainian cultural heritage, national identity and citizens – in the face of the troubled times and devastation of the current war.
