Kyiv. Kharkiv. Zaporizhia. These are just some of the countless Ukrainian cities targeted by russia’s ceaseless aggressions. For three years as of this weekend, its citizens have lived in constant fear of bombardment.
The Hague. Rotterdam. Maastricht. These are just some of the cities in the Netherlands that demonstrated their solidarity with Ukraine to commemorate its third anniversary of russia’s full-scale invasion.
As last year, VATAHA commemorated the anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in The Hague and Rotterdam. “But this year, we chose a slightly different approach to commemorating the third anniversary of the war,” co-founder Uliana Bun explains. VATAHA hosted “Lost voices, Unbroken spirit: An Art Route”, a two-day cultural and memorial event in Rotterdam and The Hague that honors Ukrainian resilience through poetry, music, film and art exhibitions.
Rotterdam, Saturday 22 February
The Art Route events aimed to “remind us that many artists who used to create, paint, draw, and create musical masterpieces are now forced to put down their tools and pens and take up arms to survive and protect their loved ones,” Uliana details. “Many of them will never be able to return to their previous activities.”
What other place to bring the Ukrainian community together for mourning and resilience than Rotterdam’s own Ukrainian House. There, VATAHA exhibited “Through Their Eyes: Kids’ Art on War and Ukraine’s Future”, a heartfelt collection of drawings from Drohobych Children’s Art School and municipal shelters in the Rotterdam region, offering a glimpse into the experiences and emotions of children living through war. There were common themes such as fire, bunkers, tears and tanks, but also sunflowers, vinoks, Ukrainian flags and the bomb-sniffing Jack Russell terrier, Patron.
At Wijkpaleis, attendees could visit the pop-up photo exhibition February 1097, 2025, curated by Dutch photographer Christian van der Kooy, and watch an afternoon screening of Warning! Life Goes On by Anton Shtuka. The film tells the story of a city occupied and destroyed by russia through the stories of locals and Kharkiv-based street artist Hamlet Zinkivskyi.
Meanwhile, at DOKHuis, Ukrainians and Dutch locals came together for an art installation called The Carpet of Love and Sorrow: Where Each Braid Holds a Life’s Story, a participatory war memorial that weaves red and black braids to honor those affected by the war. Red represents those still enduring, while black symbolizes those who have passed. The curating artist Marfa Vasilieva will display the completed carpet at Dam Square, Amsterdam, aiming to set a Guinness World Record.
While cutting fabric and braiding, workshop host Anastasia Khomenko turned the group of strangers into storytellers. A Rotterdam gardener shared that he enjoyed paying his respects by “doing something with his hands”, while a Ukrainian teen spoke proudly of his mother on the front working in radio communications. Another Dutch couple told the group of their daughters, whose Ukrainian classmates’ fates are still uncertain, and a double refugee from the Donbas region reflected positively on her diaspora both within and outside of Ukraine.
“Almost no one talks about the aspect of the destruction of culture, historical monuments, and artistic achievements,” Uliana highlights. “And this is one of the things that also shapes us as a nation. Therefore, for me personally, this is a unique opportunity to remind the world what price Ukrainians and Ukrainian culture pay every day, in addition to the apparent losses and destruction.”
In the evening, a small but fully packed DOKHuis auditorium was wowed by several talented poetry and music duos in English, Ukrainian and Dutch.
The Hague, Sunday 23 February
The events continued on Sunday in the Hague. In the spirit of Dutch wandelroutes and speurtochten, anyone willing to partake was invited on a walk through the city, with several stops along the way. Headlined Lost Voices, Unbroken Spirit, the stops transformed public spaces into stages for art and remembrance.
Although the route could be walked in any order or direction, the suggested path started with a stop outside the russian embassy. There, Serhii Fomenko’s People of Steel — a documentary about the defenders of Mariupol — was poignantly projected onto a large Ukrainian flag. In preparation for the day’s events, there was also some confusion about the practicality of screening a film on a flag. “But it’s not like going to see a movie. It’s a performance. Art needs to shock you a little bit,” reminds Uliana.
Just a short walk away in front of the Peace Palace, The Carpet of Love and Sorrow was on display, continuing its work from Rotterdam from the previous day. Through participation, the carpet transformed into a collection of memories, stories, and experiences, becoming both a social sculpture and a war memorial.
Moving on to the British Embassy, attendees experienced Echoes of Resilience, a powerful concert by Ukrainian musician Maryana Golovchenko and Dutch violinist Edmond Fokker van Crayestein. The performance celebrated the enduring strength of Ukrainian music, which has survived years of oppression. At the same time, it honored those forced to trade their instruments for weapons, protecting Ukraine and its independence.
The concert was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the acting US ambassador, and several representatives from the British embassy. “We were touched by everyone’s attendance, it really instills motivation and hope in us,” Uliana noted.
At Lange Voorhout, the boulevard in front of the British Embassy, another stop awaited: The Net of Remembrance. This installation, which has become somewhat of a tradition — having been featured at last year’s Run for Ukraine and commemoration of the 2nd anniversary of russia’s invasion of Ukraine — was once again held simultaneously in ten Dutch cities.
The final stop of the day was the German Church (Deutsche Evangelische Gemeinde im Haag), where, from 17:00 to 19:00, Shoulder to Shoulder. Voice to Voice blended together spoken word and music. This intimate performance, featuring Ukrainian and Dutch artists, celebrated the power of art and solidarity in times of conflict.
Among the performers were VATAHA’s very own Anna Bezpala and Daria Lysenko, as well as Sandra Mako, Amber Jansen, Katya Komlach and a band The Last Mandrill from Spaces, a Groningen-based arts collective. In addition to performing her own work, Sandra co-organized the recital from Spaces Collective’s side and played a key role in selecting the artists, co-moderating rehearsals and sharing coordination duties.
Although Maksym Kryvtsov’s Netherlands-based sister, Anastasiia Khudaverdyan, was unable to attend and recite her brother’s poetry as initially planned, Anna Bezpala honored his memory with an excellent reading. Kryvtsov, a renowned Ukrainian poet and soldier, died at the age of 33 in the russo-Ukrainian war.
Alongside the performances, a pop-up photo exhibition February 1097, 2025, curated by Dutch photographer Christian van der Kooy, showcased photographs by young Ukrainian makers. The “1097” in the title signifies the number of days since the full-scale invasion. In his opening speech, Christian spoke powerfully about the role of art in times of conflict: “Why do we need art in times of war? To feel less lonely.” He also expressed his hope to “decolonize the knowledge about Ukrainian culture that we have in Western Europe.”
The display bridged the frontline cities of Kharkiv and Horlivka in Ukraine with Ukrainian refugee communities in Eindhoven, The Hague, and Rotterdam. Together, artists explored their identities and everyday life while showing the power of creative spirit even in times of ongoing war and trauma. Visitors were invited to take cards with their favorite photos from the exhibition, creating a personal connection with the stories on display.
Christian joined Oksana and Anna Bezpala on Dutch TV talkshow “De Societeit” just a day before to address a wider national audience on the importance of vitalizing Ukrainian arts and culture in wartime. Read more about the interview here.
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