Virtue

London

CHALLENGE

Offer meaningful support to Ukraine.

STRATEGY

Help Ukraine protect its cultural heritage against the onslaught of invasion.

VIRTUE INSIDER

Give average citizens the ability to backup their culture to the cloud.

Backup Ukraine is a project that aims to give ordinary people the power to help preserve Ukraine’s cultural heritage. Russia’s military has killed thousands and levelled city blocks. It’s more than just people that are lost in the devastation—the statues, buildings, and art that form the shared culture of the Ukrainian people are also being destroyed.

Backup Ukraine is a partnership between VICE Media Group’s Virtue, the Blue Shield Denmark and the Danish UNESCO National Commission. It asks volunteers to use an app to scan objects in Ukraine. The scans are then turned into a 3D model and uploaded into a cloud where they can be backed up far away from Russia’s bombs.

War claims more than lives. It can cost a country irreversible damage to its national spirit. By destroying the symbols of its values, pride, and history—the very things its identity is built upon. This is why the protection of cultural heritage is crucial for any conflict. And during an ongoing war, traditional methods of cultural preservation are under pressure. So innovative technologies are a very welcome assistance. This is why The Danish UNESCO National Commission strongly supports Backup Ukraine. It is our hope that it will help preserve Ukraine's cultural heritage for posterity during this time of unbearable loss.
Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen, Chair of The Danish UNESCO National Commission

The uploads have already begun and 3D scans of cultural objects from Ukraine are already available online. There are scans of sculptures, bedrooms, and sleeping dogs. Each scan is a tiny act of resistance, a moment in time preserved in digital amber and safe from Russian aggression.

The destruction of cultural artifacts during war is a major problem. Beyond adding to the misery and sense of loss, this destruction is damaging to our global cultural history. It’s also a tool of war. As the Islamic State spread throughout the Middle East, it prioritized the destruction of ancient artifacts. During World War II, the Nazis stole or destroyed as much art as they could. It was such a problem that the allies started a special unit of scholars and soldiers to preserve cultural artifacts.

Modern wars call for modern methods of preservation, and Backup Ukraine is a chance for anyone on the ground to save a little piece of their culture.

“Destroying a country's cultural heritage is the fastest way to undermine its national identity,” Søren la Cour Jensen, Chair of Blue Shield Denmark, said in a press release. “As we have learned after World War II and many later conflicts, saving a country’s cultural heritage is the best path to reconstruction and revival of society. Total loss is our greatest fear, and Backup Ukraine provides a new and important tool that can prevent that.”

AWARDS:

5 The Drum Social Purpose Awards - Grand Prix, Best Use of Technology, Innovation of the Year, Campaign of the Year (Non-Profit), Social Purpose Agency of the Year.

6 Eurobest Awards - 2 Grand Prix, 2 Gold, 2 Silver

7 London International Awards - 1 Grand Prix, 4 Gold, 2 Silver.

11 Cannes Lions - 1 Grand Prix, 1 Palme d'Or Award, 1 Gold, 4 Silver, 4 Bronze.

1 Dubai Lynx - Grand Prix.

12 New York Festivals Advertising Awards - 5 Gold, 3 Silver, 3 Bronze and 1 Grand Prix for Innovation.

50k+: app downloads in Ukraine

35k+: scans captured in Ukraine

Back Up Ukraine

Backup Ukraine is a multi-award winning partnership between Virtue, the Blue Shield Denmark and the Danish UNESCO National Commission that aims to digitally preserve Ukraine’s important architecture, statues, and monuments, many of which are at risk during Russia’s invasion.