The Verkhovna Rada opened an exhibition about children without parents: stories of loss and dreams

Today, two exhibitions dedicated to children who grew up without parental care were opened in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The event featured the First Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity, Liudmyla Shemelinets.

The first exhibition is "Talk to Me". It consists of ten photo portraits of young people who spent part of their childhood without a family. Their stories are about loss and the search for support, about dreams and the quest for a family that can change lives. Each portrait serves as a reminder: a child should not be left alone with their pain; they need to be heard.

Next to it is the installation "The System Needs a Reboot". Five stands display items familiar to most children – and unattainable for those who grew up in orphanages. They are "conserved" in transparent resin, symbolizing the barriers that have kept children from a dignified, safe, and fulfilling childhood for many years.

"We talk a lot about what else we can do for children: for those growing up in their families, in frontline areas, in foster families, or social service institutions, and for those still living in institutions. They all need one thing – for adults to be nearby, to hear and see them. Because the feeling of safety begins not with great reforms, but with human attention," emphasized Liudmyla Shemelinets.

The Verkhovna Rada has opened two exhibitions that tell the stories of children without parental care. Photo portraits and installations aim to remind us of the need for attention and support for children who have grown up in difficult conditions, as well as to draw society's attention to the problems of orphanhood and the support of children's institutions.