The second meeting on creating a memorial space for prisoners of war in Mykolaiv took place

The second meeting on creating a space to commemorate prisoners of war took place in Mykolaiv. Photo provided by the organisers

A second meeting was held in Mykolaiv dedicated to creating a memorial space and paying dignified tribute to people who survived captivity. This time, the military and families of prisoners presented their vision of the emotional and symbolic content of the future memorial zone near the Council of Europe Square.

This was reported by the public organisation «Oberih Mykolaivshchyny» in a comment to NikVesti.

During the discussion, the participants, together with the chief architect of Mykolaiv, Yevhen Poliakov, analysed examples of other memorial spaces in Ukraine and around the world, in particular those dedicated to the Holodomor, World War II and the Holocaust. They also familiarised themselves with a detailed map of the territory planned for the future project. This is the section of Sadova Street between Manganarivsky Square and the Council of Europe Square, near the monument to the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred.

The second meeting on the creation of a memorial space for prisoners of war took place in Mykolaiv. Photo provided by the organisers

The second meeting on the creation of a memorial space for prisoners took place in Mykolaiv. Photo provided by the organisers

The section that will be allocated for the memorial space. Photo: NikVesti

The plot of land that will be allocated for the memorial space. Photo: NikVesti

At the same time, the military and their relatives emphasised that the future memorial space should not be a trigger for people who have survived captivity.

The second meeting on the creation of a memorial space for prisoners of war took place in Mykolaiv. Photo provided by the organisers

The second meeting on the creation of a memorial space for prisoners took place in Mykolaiv. Photo provided by the organisers

Nataliia Riabinina, the sister of a soldier who died in captivity, shared her own vision. She hopes that this place will not silence the consequences of war, but at the same time will instil hope in everyone who visits it.

«The image of a Ukrainian soldier with a child in his arms and his family nearby can be complemented by bars through which light passes. At a certain moment, it will fall on the figure of the soldier as a symbol of his return home, and then the bars will disappear, reminding us that captivity was temporary, although it left its mark,» she explained.

The second meeting on creating a space to commemorate prisoners of war took place in Mykolaiv. Photo provided by the organisers

Serhii Mazhorov, a veteran with experience of captivity, warned against the use of overly harsh images that could become triggers. Veteran Halyna Hrytseniak expressed a similar position:

«The image of a soldier in arches through which light passes is apt and symbolic. The space should remain soft and safe for everyone,» she explained.

Deputy Director for Technical Issues of Distribution Networks Oleksandr Kushnirenko and Deputy Director of the Department of Housing and Communal Services Artem Sapozhnyk also joined the discussion. They stated that they were ready to contribute to the implementation of the project within the limits of their authority.

The second meeting on the creation of a memorial space for prisoners of war took place in Mykolaiv. Photo provided by the organisers

The second meeting on the creation of a memorial space for prisoners of war took place in Mykolaiv. Photo provided by the organisers

The first discussion on the creation of a memorial space in Mykolaiv took place on 15 January. At that time, three concepts for the future space were presented: «The Way», «The Light» and «The Voice».