Opening of the exhibition "Colours That Restore Life"

The Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Estonia and the "Children of Heroes" Charitable Foundation invite everyone to visit the exhibition "Colours That Restore Life", which opens on 10 January 2026 at the Solaris shopping centre on Design Street and runs until 24 January 2026.

The war in Ukraine has stolen the childhood of millions of children… The consequences of the full-scale war, now lasting almost four years, continue to cause immense pain to Ukrainian children. The figures cited by the UN and UNICEF make us reflect on the scale of the tragedy:

• More than 2,520 children have been killed or injured in the war since the start of the full-scale invasion alone – these are confirmed figures, but the real losses are probably much higher.
• Almost 20,000 Ukrainian children have been deported or forcibly transferred to Russia or the temporarily occupied territories, where their education, language and culture are being changed.
• More than 5 million children have been forced to leave their homes and find refuge in unfamiliar cities and countries or in dangerous conditions.
• More than 2,000 children in Ukraine are officially considered missing.
• Countless children have lost one or both parents.

The exhibition features 14 children's paintings. They were made by children whose parents went missing or were killed during the occupation, shelling, missile strikes and other war crimes. These children have already gone through psychological stabilisation, so their works are dreams of a peaceful, free Ukraine and of a future they want to build with their own hands.

Behind every drawing is a real child's story of strength, loss, recovery and hope.

For many children, drawing and art therapy have become a way to express their pain, live through their loss and regain a sense of safety. Through colours, lines and images, children share what cannot be put into words.

It is an attempt to see the reality of war through the eyes of those whose souls still keep the purity of childhood. Each drawing tells the story of a little person who has lost what was most precious but continues to believe in goodness, love and peace.

Next to each work is a short story about its author – in Ukrainian and Estonian.

The exhibition is organised by the Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Estonia in partnership with the "Children of Heroes" Charitable Foundation and under the patronage of the representative of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in Estonia – Volodymyr Palamar.

The systematic violation of children's rights by the Russian Federation, including deportation, militarisation, the use of children for military purposes and their killing in the occupied territories, remains a priority for the work of the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine in 2026.

"Today Ukrainian children live under constant threat. Their homes are destroyed, their schools are turned into ruins and children's hospitals become targets for missiles. Almost a third of teenagers suffer emotional stress and psychological trauma because of the horrors of war. We cannot afford to lose this generation. We must tell the world about the crimes of Russia, which has destroyed the peaceful childhood of our little ones and teenagers, and we must continue to do everything possible to protect our children and restore their happy future," – Volodymyr Palamar.

This exhibition is about memory and hope, about children's pain and at the same time about an unbreakable spirit. It reminds us adults that our duty is to protect childhood and help children bring the colours of life back.
We thank the Solaris shopping centre for providing the venue for the exhibition, and the exhibition's information partner – Business Woman Magazine.

About the "Children of Heroes" Charitable Foundation

The Foundation provides comprehensive support to children in Ukraine who have lost one or both parents because of the war. These are children of fallen soldiers and missing defenders, as well as children whose parents were killed during the occupation, shelling, missile strikes and other war crimes.

The Foundation works with each family individually and provides long-term systematic support to help children through recovery and preserve their chance of a full future.

Today the Foundation cares for more than 14,000 children across the country, and every child has unique needs. That is why the Foundation accompanies them from the moment they join until they turn 19. Most of the children live throughout Ukraine. But some have moved abroad because, sadly, they no longer have anywhere to return to in Ukraine. Among the Foundation's beneficiaries are also children who were illegally taken out of Ukraine but were later returned. They need even more attention and careful psychological support.