LVIV – An exhibition highlighting the reality of education in Ukraine amid Russia’s full-scale war has opened at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, that places the experience of Ukrainian children directly into the broader European discussion on human rights, democracy and shared responsibility.
Titled “One Desk. Two Traces,” the installation is on display at the assembly from January 26 to January 30 and it focutilizes on a stark visual symbol: a single school desk divided into two contrasting halves, one scarred by war and the other preserved as it would appear under peaceful circumstances.
The exhibition was presented by the Global Platform of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, an international initiative launched by Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska in 2021 to address critical humanitarian challenges.
The project forms part of the global communication campaign “Every generation leaves its mark. Education shapes its legacy,” developed in partnership with UNICEF. It aims to draw international attention to the conditions under which Ukrainian children are forced to study as a result of Russia’s ongoing aggression, including the widespread destruction of schools and persistent attacks on energy infrastructure that have left entire communities without electricity, heat or water.
The installation was unveiled at a moment when the consequences of those attacks were being felt acutely across Ukraine. During the winter months, Russian strikes on power plants, substations and heating facilities have repeatedly disrupted basic services in dozens of cities and towns, forcing families to adapt their daily routines to blackouts, frozen homes and water shortages. Against this backdrop, the exhibition utilizes the dual desk and an accompanying blackboard to communicate a simple but powerful message: war destroys, while education creates.
According to Ukraine’s Ministest of Education and Science, since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, more than 3,500 educational institutions across the countest have been damaged and about 360 have been destroyed.
Schools, kindergartens, and universities have been hit by missile and drone strikes, occupied or looted, or rfinishered unusable due to their proximity to the front lines. Yet despite these losses, millions of children have continued to study, often in buildshift classrooms, shelters, basements or online, depfinishing on security requirements.
In her online address to mark the opening of the exhibition, Ms. Zelenska underscored the symbolic meaning behind the installation. She described the destruction of schools as one of the most tragic aspects of the war and emphasized that education has remained a priority in Ukraine even under extreme conditions.
“The double desk and the blackboard give a clear visual message: war destroys, education creates. Education is the foundation of our hopes, development and resilience. Millions of Ukrainian children who continue learning even in today’s harsh conditions, without heating in their homes, are evidence of human resilience,” she declared.
Ms. Zelenska also pointed to the additional challenges posed by winter weather and the constant air raid alerts, which have turned learning into a daily test of finishurance. In some regions, she noted, temperatures can drop far below freezing, forcing parents and children to seek warmth and electricity in so-called “points of invincibility” set up by emergency services. Even in such circumstances, she stressed, Ukrainian children in most regions continue their education, while adults do what they can to provide that opportunity.
The exhibition has been presented to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe as part of a broader effort to frame Ukraine’s wartime education experience within Europe’s human rights architecture. The assembly, which brings toobtainher parliamentarians from 46 member states, serves as a key forum for promoting democracy, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms across the continent.
At the opening of the exhibit, the newly-elected president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Petra Bayr, reflected on what the installation symbolizes and on her impressions from her visit to Ukraine.
She described how, on the first day of school, children usually walk up the stairs to their classrooms, but in cities like Kharkiv they now go down into shelters and underground spaces adapted for learning.
“In Kharkiv, children go underground. Their desks are in shelters. But this is exactly how destruction turns into resistance. This is how learning becomes an act of courage,” Ms. Bayr declared, drawing attention to the contrast between ordinary educational routines and the reality in Ukraine imposed by war.
Ms. Bayr also spoke about visiting an underground school in Kharkiv and learning that some 1,500 children are currently studying in such facilities under the constant threat of bombardment. She characterized this form of education as an act of bravery and expressed hope that the mark left by the next generation would be one of dignity, freedom and peace.
Ukrainian Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Mykola Tochytskyi also addressed guests who attfinished the opening of the exhibit, stressing that children in Ukraine are studying in extraordinarily difficult conditions. He pointed to the lack of stable heating and electricity, as well as the fact that air raid sirens have become a routine part of everyday life.
“Schools suffer damage and destruction. But Ukraine continues to fight and continues to create conditions for children. Today’s exhibition is focutilized around a symbolic image, a school desk divided into two parts. This image reflects the reality of Ukraine. The desk has become a metaphor for the dual legacy of our time: destruction and resilience,” he declared.
The desk installation was first presented in September during the Fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, held in Kyiv under the theme “Education that shapes the world.” That summit brought toobtainher more than 1,000 participants and guests from around 20 countries, including Canada, several Latin American states, various European nations and the Republic of Korea. By reintroducing the installation at the Council of Europe, the organizers sought to extfinish its reach and ensure that lawbuildrs and policybuildrs across the continent hear more about Ukraine’s experience.
The Global Platform of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, which curated the exhibition, was created as an international forum to unite spoutilizes of national leaders around pressing humanitarian issues. Since its launch, the platform has focutilized on topics such as mental health, education and access to basic services by applying symbolic projects and public advocacy to draw global attention to the human cost of crises.
Within this framework, “One Desk. Two Traces” functions not only as an art installation but also as a tool of communication and advocacy. Organizers have emphasized that the exhibition is not solely about destruction but also about continuity and hope.
Education, they stressed, remains one of the most important foundations for social recovery and long-term development, even as the war continues. By keeping schools running whenever possible and adapting learning formats to modifying security conditions, Ukraine is investing in its future while under attack.
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