Theater/Arts: New exhibit at PIEAM showcases life in Guam during WWII

The Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum (PIEAM) is launching "So We Leapt – Para I Hinanao-ta Mo’na," an exhibition centered on a rare archive of photographs taken in Guam between 1944 and 1946. Captured by U.S. Army photographer Frank Buchman and curated by Pulitzer Prize-winner Manny Crisostomo, the images move beyond traditional wartime documentation to highlight the daily lives and resilience of the Indigenous CHamoru people. The show is augmented by "Hasso," a contemporary portrait series by Johnny Cepeda Gogo featuring elderly CHamoru survivors of World War II.

Russia's winter bombardment puts strain on Ukrainian museum workers

UNESCO has expressed serious concern over recent Russian attacks damaging cultural heritage sites in Ukrainian cities including Odesa, Lviv, and Kyiv. The winter bombardment has targeted power grids and infrastructure, complicating the work of museums and cultural institutions. The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a World Heritage Site, suffered its first military damage since WWII, and the historic center of Odesa, already on UNESCO's endangered list, saw its Holy Dormition Monastery severely hit.

Above Lake Maggiore sits Italy's highest bookstore, fighting mountain depopulation

Sopra il Lago Maggiore c’è la libreria più in altitudine d’Italia che combatte lo spopolamento delle montagne

The Libreria Alpe Colle, located in the Lepontine Alps overlooking Lake Maggiore, has become Italy's highest-altitude bookstore. Established in 2014, this unique cultural hub is accessible only by a hike through beech forests and historical WWI fortifications. It houses thousands of rare, out-of-print, and antique volumes, attracting a diverse mix of serious collectors and casual hikers who visit for both literature and local artisanal products.