Ukrainian cockerel jug gifted to the Prime Minister goes on display to delegates at Edinburgh International Culture Summit

• Jug is now on display at the Culture Summit showing global solidarity with Ukraine

A cockerel-shaped ceramic jug gifted to the Prime Minister in Kyiv has gone on display to delegates at the Edinburgh International Culture Summit.

The jug, which has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, is being displayed at the biennial event to demonstrate the ongoing international solidarity with Ukraine following the illegal invasion of the country by Russia.

The Prime Minister and Volodymyr Zelensky received a pair of matching jugs from a woman in Kharkiv while walking through the streets of the Ukrainian capital in April.

This type of jug became emblematic of Ukraine’s strong resistance against the invading Russian forces after photographer Elizaveta Servatynska captured an image of a similar jug sitting undamaged on a kitchen cabinet in a high-rise apartment block in March. The building, in Borodyanka, had been badly hit by Russian bombing.

In Ukrainian folklore, cockerels are believed to have powers of protection. When the image of the undamaged jug went viral on social media it quickly became a symbol of the country’s stand against the Russian invaders.

The jug gifted to the Prime Minister is now on display at the Edinburgh International Culture Summit where it will be visible to delegates.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson said:

As we meet in Edinburgh, this jug will serve as a powerful reminder of Ukraine’s unflagging strength and resistance in the face of Russia’s barbaric invasion.

The Ukrainian people and the preservation of their unique cultural identity will be at the forefront of our minds as ministers and cultural leaders from around the world  meet to discuss  international cultural collaboration.

The jug was made in the 1960s by prominent ceramists Valerii and Nadiia Protoriev from Vasylkiv, a town near Kyiv. The glazed earthenware jugs are an example of majolica pottery that were produced by a Vasylkix factory during the Soviet era.

The biennial Edinburgh International Culture Summit is attended by politicians, artists and cultural leaders from around the world. It aims to promote international cultural and artistic exchange. Delegations from countries across the world will be in attendance at this year’s event.

This year’s summit will have a particular focus on Ukraine through discussions on culture and freedom, which has been prompted by Russia’s invasion. The Ukrainian Institute and British Council are also convening a special Culture Leadership Dialogue event, which aims to forge partnerships between the cultural sectors in the UK and Ukraine in response to the challenges being faced as a result of the ongoing conflict.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson will be representing the UK Government at the summit.

The Government Art Collection (DCMS) has assisted with the display of the jug and facilitated the loan between the PM and Scottish Parliamentary Building.

ENDS

More on the jug and its symbolism can be found at https://govart.uk/ceramic-rooster.