An exhibition by the UCU Child Dignity Centre was presented at the International Conference on Ukrainian Studies

As part of the large-scale conference "Ukraine in the World” the UCU Child Dignity Centre presented the exhibition-installation "Recognize. React.” at the Sheptytsky Centre. Over the course of two years travelling through seven European countries, it has helped to build bridges between various institutions responsible for child safety.

The idea for this installation, which raises awareness of child safety, emerged alongside the development of the online course "SAFEGUARDING. Child Safety in the Church Environment", on which experts from the UCU Child Dignity Centre worked alongside specialists from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. The visual design was created by the artist Ulyana Krekhovets. Her sketches were subsequently transferred onto T-shirts. This is how the concept for the "Recognize. React.” installation came about.

Visitors to the exhibition, which is being held at the Sheptytsky Centre, have the opportunity to find themselves amidst an unusual "crowd" of T-shirts, each of which depicts a story describing an individual’s experience.

"Wherever we are, we reiterate that a child’s safety is an adult’s responsibility. This “crowd” symbolises people who carry within them a variety of experiences – both positive and negative. We never know who is beside us, or how we might change that person, but we do have an influence on another person’s sense of safety – whether a child or an adult – through sensitivity and attentiveness,” emphasised Ivanka Rudakevych, head of the “Church” division at the UCU Child Dignity Centre and the project’s coordinator.

The installation also includes a space where anyone can design a T-shirt on paper to illustrate what is troubling them.

“Art has long since moved beyond simply being a beautiful painting in a gallery. It has become social and public, responding to all the challenges of our time. We often underestimate art, but it allows us to discuss many different topics – even uncomfortable ones – very easily and simply,” emphasised Ulyana Krekhovets.

Over the two years since its inception in 2024, the exhibition "Recognize. React.”has been seen by over 35,000 people across seven countries. As well as Ukraine, the exhibition has been shown in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Everywhere it has played a special role. For example, in Poland, the opening of the exhibition provided an opportunity for the Catholic Church, the civil society and the state sectors to discuss the issue of child safety together for the first time. In Hungary, during the opening, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, János Székely, publicly apologised for the first time to those who had suffered violence within the Church. Following the exhibition in the Czech Republic, the organisation ‘Někdo Ti uvěří’, which provides support to victims of abuse, and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference established a partnership, despite years of hostility.

“It was a very interesting experience – to present our project outside the country,” said Ivanka Rudakevych. “We didn’t expect it to spark important dialogues within the local church community. In some cases, through this project, Ukraine has helped to bring about reconciliation between victims and the clergy.”

Khrystyna Shabat, director of the UCU Child Dignity Centre, is the originator of the project. She emphasised that it was ahead of its time and has become significant not only for Ukraine but also for Europe.

“This exhibition demonstrates that a Ukrainian project can be engaging and can spark dialogue where there was previously silence. We greatly value it when our exhibition sparks dialogue on such difficult topics as child abuse. It is also important that, although the issues raised are complex, the format allows participants to delve into the subject as deeply as they are prepared to,” noted Khrystyna Shabat.

The exhibition sparked interest among participants at the International Conference on Ukrainian Studies. Many of them came over to look at the designs on the T-shirts and to feel part of the crowd. Guests also expressed a desire to establish cooperation with the UCU Child Dignity Centre.

"The issues raised by this exhibition are extremely important. You are doing the right thing – talking about matters that most people would prefer to keep quiet about. Usually, when something bad happens to a person, they want to forget about it or turn a blind eye to it. But these are the very things we need to talk about,” emphasised Professor María Elena Pimstein, director of the Centre for Law and Religion (Centro UC de Derecho y Religión) at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (UC).

Фото: Марія Урбан