On September 12, 2024, the Bring Kids Back exhibition became the heart of the 4th Summit, with each guest and panelist passing by and witnessing the raw truth of what has happened to Ukraine's children. It featured harrowing stories from Ukrainian children who were deported, highlighting the trauma and injustice they have suffered. The exhibition was organized by the Bring Kids Back initiative in cooperation with the Living the War and War Diaries Projects and supported by the European Policy Centre (EPC).
Daria Zarivna, the Chief Operating Officer of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, emphasized its impact: “All the Summit’s guests, first ladies and gentlemen, visited the exhibition and were deeply shaken by it. That is our mission—to raise awareness within the international community about one of the most tragic chapters of this war: the deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia."
The exhibition also included a detailed installation depicting a metaphorical abandoned house, symbolizing the homes left behind by the children taken by force. Inside, artifacts reflected the reprogramming and cultural erasure these children experience in Russia, a process that constitutes genocide. Another powerful installation, "War Diaries," presented children's personal accounts of their experiences during the war, adding a deeply human element to the statistical horrors.
A key feature of the exhibition was a schematic called "Strategy of Deportation of Ukrainian Children by the Russian Federation," laying bare the horrific strategies employed by Russia in this war crime.
Also unveiled at the exhibition was the White Paper, the first developed by the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force, comprising global experts in international law and child protection. It provides recommendations for locating the deported children and ensuring their safe return, while also outlining strategies to prevent future deportations. The White Paper is a key component of Ukraine's strategy to return all deported children as part of Point 4 of the Ukrainian Peace Formula.
The Bring Kids Back UA Exhibition calls on the global community to act. Each photograph, each story serves as a cry for justice.
Anyone can help by sharing the stories of these abducted children, pushing governments to support Ukraine’s efforts, and joining the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. Only through unified action can we bring these children back home, protect their identities, and prevent such atrocities from ever happening again.
Head of the projects: Maksym Maksymov
Curated by: Volodymyr Kadygrob
Exhibition design: Oleksandr Burlaka
Coordinators; Inna Buhai, Anna Malykhina, Oleksandra Dvoretska
Design: Dasha Soroka
Illustration: Marharyta Safonova
Head of Policy: Oleksandra Dvoretska
Production: How Production