“Brave to Save Lives”: IvAlive Exhibition Dedicated to Ukrainian Rescuers

From 20 & 23-24 February, a photo exhibition will take place in the very heart of Lausanne, at the central square, dedicated to the heroes of our time — Ukrainian rescuers. These are the people who are the first to arrive after missile attacks. They work under ongoing shelling, search through the rubble of destroyed buildings and fight for every life they can save.

The idea for this project was born after Ivanna Onufriichuk met with representatives of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. They shared a book about their efforts during the full-scale war and spoke about their wish to organise an exhibition abroad. At that moment, it became clear: this story should be told in Switzerland.

We had only seven days to prepare. The foundation team immediately sent an official request to receive photographs taken during the years of war. From hundreds of powerful and heartbreaking images, we selected 21 photographs. Each one shows the reality of war without filters — showing both pain and hope, destruction and the remarkable strength of the human spirit.

We paid special attention to the texts that accompany the exhibition. All materials were translated into French so that visitors could not only see these stories, but also better understand their context and scale of what is happening.

We sincerely thank Madina Kukenova from the Together association for her support in obtaining permits from the City and Commune of Lausanne. We are also deeply grateful to the team of Ukraine Centre Lausanne and to Lyudmila Bakhmut for their support and for organizing volunteers who will work daily at the square, sharing the stories and meaning behind this exhibition. And of course, we thank our team — for their coordination, quick action and true dedication.

📍 Location: Pl. du 14-Juin, 1003 Lausanne

We warmly invite you, your friends and family to visit the exhibition and stand in support of those who bravely save lives.