On Wednesday, May 29th, we opened “Out of Shadow”, WCM’s new major exhibition in Kyiv. Following the event, the exhibition is now open to the public until July 28th.
The opening ceremony at the Taras Shevchenko National Museum gathered collection contributors, their friends and families, WCM partners, media representatives, local authorities and Kyiv residents.
The exhibition presents 29 selected children’s stories from different parts of Ukraine, allowing visitors to better understand the plurality of war experiences.
Growing up is extremely difficult – all adults remember that. Growing up during a war is twice as difficult. How do children get used to new living conditions? How do they see the war? Where do they find support for themselves and their loved ones, and what new roles do they find themselves in? How can their experience come out of the shadow of global events?
The exhibition “Out of Shadow” does not offer direct answers. Instead, it provides space for reflection about war childhood experience.
“It is crucial to collect children’s testimonies now, not at the end of the war, so that their experiences are well-represented in the overall narrative of the war, alongside those of other vulnerable groups. Such comprehensive representation is essential for building an inclusive society where people with diverse experiences are welcomed and accepted.”, says Svitlana Osipchuk, Director of the War Childhood Museum in Ukraine.
“The WCM remains committed to our work in Ukraine where we have maintained an office since 2020. This commitment has remained unwavering throughout the pandemic and the full-scale invasion. Our team in Kyiv continues to work diligently under challenging conditions, with support from our colleagues in other WCM offices. Thanks to our partners—forumZFD, the Peace of Mind Foundation, and Porticus—we are progressing toward the opening of a permanent museum in Kyiv. We are also actively seeking additional partners to collaborate on this important project”, says Halilović, Founder and Director-General of the WCM.
The “Out of Shadow” exhibition is supported by the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU). The work of the War Childhood Museum Ukraine is supported by the forumZFD in Ukraine.
The exhibition, located at the Taras Shevchenko National Museum, 12 Taras Shevchenko Boulevard, Kyiv, will be open to visitors from May 30 to July 28, 2024. Admission is free. The Museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
