Showcasing Identity: Virtual Exhibitions of the Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada

2024;
Authors: 

Tetiana Bilushchak1 , Khrystyna Vintoniv2 and Halyna Malyk3

1. Lviv Polytechnic National University 

2. Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas

3. University of Manitoba

Virtual exhibitions are recognized as essential tools employed by cultural memory institutions to preserve and promote the historical and cultural heritage of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada. These platforms overcome time and geographical limitations, providing unrestricted access to cultural artifacts and narratives that celebrate the contributions of Ukrainian Canadians. This study focuses on virtual exhibitions curated by Ukrainian and Canadian institutions, using a combination of general scientific methods and specialized approaches, such as content, source, historical, and sociocommunicative analyses. These methodologies enabled a comprehensive collection, evaluation, and synthesis of data from diverse online resources, offering insights into the evolution and current state of virtual exhibitions representing the Ukrainian diaspora, with a comparative analysis based on criteria, such as the chronological scope of documents, presentation formats, language, metadata, and keywords. The findings highlight shared strategies and unique approaches adopted by these institutions in representing diaspora heritage through virtual platforms. A key novelty of this research is the creation of the “Consolidated Information Resource for Virtual Exhibitions of the Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada,” an integrated digital platform that aggregates these exhibitions, modeled using Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERD) and Data Flow Diagrams (DFD), ensuring its effective design and functionality and offering a consistent platform for scholars, teachers, and the public to interact with the digital collections.  The research also highlights the importance of pooling the resources and expertise of Ukrainian and Canadian institutions to promote a better comprehension of the Ukrainian diaspora's cultural legacy. Creating comprehensive, accessible, and engaging virtual exhibitions and contributing to a broader understanding of global cultural dynamics in digital spaces maximizes the reach and impact of these digital platforms.

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