“We will not forget them and will do everything we can to help,” members of the European Parliament about the heroes of the “Donbass and Civilians” exhibition

At the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation organized a unique exposition dedicated to civilians affected by the armed conflict in Donbass. The exhibition that took place on the premises of the European Parliament caused great interest among the members of the European Parliament, who noted its significance and the importance of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s contribution in preventing a humanitarian catastrophe in Donbass.  

 “I believe that the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation does a fantastic job. It takes care of children living in conditions of war. It also organizes summer camps for them and fully supports them. I would like to thank the Foundation for what it does,” said Jana Zitnanska, MEP for Slovakia. “For us, the exhibition presented by the Foundation is an opportunity to learn real stories of real people. Learn how they live and how they suffer. It is incredibly emotional. And it’s important for the world to know about this reality. Know the stories of people. We will not forget them and will do everything we can to help.

I think that people living in a zone of military operations cannot survive without help of other people – organizations, funds supporting them. It is very important to take care of civilians, their health, to bring them food. Because if you don’t do this, the situation will be even harder.”

The exhibition presents black-and-white collages from the photo book “Donbass and Civilians”, colour photographs of the destroyed houses and their inhabitants, and video films of children who have seen the effects of the war with their own eyes. During the exhibition, MEPs familiarized themselves with the photo book “Donbass and Civilians” of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. The publication, which contains stories of old people and children affected in Donbass, was a shocking revelation for many people in Ukraine and Europe. It was nominated as “The Best Social Photo Book of the Year” by the Ukrainian Library Fund and was already presented in Kyiv, Lviv, Mariupol, Brussels and Frankfurt am Main.