Photo exhibition “They Rescue. They Support. They Protect” opens in Dnipropetrovsk region

The documentary and artistic photo exhibition “They Rescue. They Support. They Protect” has opened in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The main heroes of the photos are State Emergency Service staff, police officers, medical workers, and energy sector employees. The exhibition is organised by UNDP in Ukraine with the support of the European Union.

“We are immensely grateful to our heroes – rescuers, medics, energy workers, and police officers. It is important that people remember, know, and respect all those whose work is critically important. That is why we are grateful to our partners for this exhibition. It is truly unique,” emphasized Iryna Hrytsai, Deputy Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration.

The exhibition features portraits of seven heroes: a medic, an energy worker, a police officer, and representatives of the State Emergency Service. Each portrait is accompanied by a personal story that visitors can read.

“This exhibition shows that any recovery and any support always have a human face — the face of those who work for others,” noted Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

Among the photos on display is a portrait of Oleh Polshcha, head of the underwater demining unit. He has risen through the ranks from diver to team leader.

“Before the full-scale invasion, our work focused on saving people on the water and ensuring their safety. Now, most of what we do is retrieving fragments of drones and missiles from rivers and lakes and neutralising them,” Oleh Polshcha explained.

At the exhibition, the EU and UNDP also announced the launch of the second phase of the EU4Recovery partnership – an EUR 50 million programme supporting Ukraine.

“This initiative is aimed at supporting communities in war-affected regions. It will strengthen local self-government, improve access to social and health services, and foster economic opportunities,” said Auke Lootsma, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine.

The exhibition will be open to visitors until 15 May at the Most City shopping mall in Dnipro. It will then travel to Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv.

Source: Novi Rubezhi