On November 10, the opening ceremony of the exhibition “Mariupol Unconquered” took place at the Riigikogu (the Parliament of Estonia). The exhibition is dedicated to the city that has become a symbol of struggle, resilience, and tragedy.

This large-scale project was initiated by the National Union of Artists of Ukraine in 2022. Some of the works on display were created shortly before Russia’s full-scale invasion, but most were painted in February and March 2022, as the democratic world watched live the brutal assault on Mariupol and the bravery of the defenders of Azovstal.

The event was attended by Lauri Hussar, President of the Riigikogu, Volodymyr Boiechko, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Estonia, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps, Estonian institutions, and the Ukrainian community.

In his speech, President of the Riigikogu Lauri Hussar emphasized that the exhibition vividly shows how strong the human spirit can be, even in the most difficult times.

Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Estonia, Volodymyr Boiechko, emphasized in his speech:

«This exhibition is about a city that went through hell.
About people who lived without light or water, yet never lost their humanity.
About mothers who saved their children under the bombs.

About doctors who operated by the light of candles.

About the artists who kept painting even when the world around them was falling apart.»

The author and curator of the exhibition is Valerii Yurychkovskyi, an artist from Mariupol and a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, who came to Tallinn to personally take part in the opening.

The exhibition has already been presented in Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Italy, and in the city of Valga (Estonia). The Estonian edition of the exhibition was organized by the Riigikogu, the Congress of Ukrainians of Estonia, and the Ukrainian society Kalyna (Valga), in cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in Estonia.