The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) stands with the people of Ukraine. As a global network of science centers, science museums, and science engagement organizations, we join with our community in condemning the attack on Ukraine’s independence and supporting the Ukrainian people.
Especially in our thoughts are the team members at the Science Museum of Kyiv, an ASTC member since the museum was founded in 2020, who continue their commitment to being of service to their community despite dangerous circumstances.
Many ASTC member organizations and friends around the world are offering their support and showing their solidarity with the Ukrainian people. For example, the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, Poland, is mobilizing their community in support of Ukrainians crossing the border to seek refuge in Poland.
Beyond individual museums and other cultural organizations, many science engagement organizations, scientific societies, and research institutions across the globe are delivering messages of solidarity, including Ecsite (the European network of science engagement organizations), the Association of Children’s Museums, the Asia-Pacific Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASPAC), the International Council of Museums, the Canadian Museum Association, International Science Council, and G7 science academies, among many others. Our broader science engagement community is especially heartened that prominent Russian scientists and science communicators have offered a full-throated objection to this senseless violence. Ecsite has further called upon Russian science engagement organizations to join their colleagues in taking a public stand against these attacks.
Collaboration is at the heart of the work science engagement organizations do in their communities, and our colleagues in Ukraine are an integral part of our global science center community. Our community will continue advocating for an end to this violence and taking steps to support the Ukrainian people.