Ukrainian Association in Finland holds war-themed exhibition in Helsinki

The Ukrainian Association in Finland (UAF) in Helsinki organized the exhibition “Open Ukraine,” on May 9-11 at the city’s central public library, Oodi.

This joint project between the UAF and Ukrainian photographer Kateryna Mostova used photographs, texts, and video testimonies to highlight the impact of Russian aggression on the lives of people displaced from Crimea and Donbas since 2014, the UAF reported.

Alongside the exhibition, the event featured lectures and discussions that focused on the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, displacement, and solidarity.

Prominent history Professor Henrik Meinander spoke about the transformation of European refugee policies on May 9. 

Attendees also heard Professor Martti Talja discuss the evacuation of 430,000 Karelians and draw parallels with Ukraine, as well as Maria Zhyhurt’s lecture on the vital role of the Ukrainian language as a form of resistance.

On May 10, the focus shifted to Ukraine’s struggles for liberation throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Oleksandr Kostiuk spoke about the role of the Plast scouting movement; Oleksandr Yarotskyi highlighted civil resistance during Soviet times; Oleksii Prykhodko addressed Finlandization and historical threats; and Maria Zhyhurt illustrated how the Ukrainian language continues to develop during wartime.

Recordings of the lectures will be available on the UAF’s YouTube channel.

The UAF expressed special thanks to all speakers, participants, photographer Kateryna Mostova, and organizers Arseniy Svynarenko and Iryna Gorkun-Silén.