- Wednesday, September 23, 2026
On 22 September, a photography exhibition entitled "Де(ти)нство" was unveiled at Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. It was dedicated to Butterfly Day – a day to support children with incurable illnesses.
As part of the opening, a press briefing was held attended by Ruslan Biloskurskyi, Rector of Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, and Marta Levchenko, founder of the "City of Goodness" charitable foundation.
Ruslan Biloskursky emphasised that the university should not only be a place where students study, but also a space for proactive activities and the implementation of initiatives that are important for the city, the region and the country as a whole.
During the event, the "City of Goodness" Charitable Foundation presented Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University with a Certificate of Appreciation for its support of the Foundation’s charitable projects and its care for Ukraine’s most vulnerable children, commending the professionalism, generosity and compassion of the university community, which helps to save children’s lives and make dreams come true.
"Де(ти)нство" tells the stories of children and adults who have rediscovered their childhood at "House of Butterflies", Ukraine’s only hospice run by the ‘City of Goodness’ Charitable Foundation. The photographs capture various aspects of childhood: play, curiosity, dreams, the search for new experiences, as well as moments in which childhood is shaped by illness, loss, forced displacement and war.
The exhibition brings together the work of five artists, each of whom tells the story of this world in their own way – through documentary photography, portraiture, journalism and personal narratives.
The contributors include photojournalist and portrait photographer Serhiy Korovainyi, journalist and documentary photographer Kateryna Moskaliuk, photographer Alina Rost, and photographer Dasha Tenditna, who has been working on the theme of childhood for many years.
A special place in the exhibition is reserved for photographs by Sofiika – a young girl who found shelter, medical care and support at "City of Goodness". Sofiika lost her sight due to cancer, yet she continued to photograph people and the world around her. Photography became a way for her to explore the world and tell its story. She is no longer with us, but her photographs remain as a memorial to a girl who knew how to see what matters most with her heart.
The "Де(ти)нство" photography exhibition serves as a reminder of every child’s right to a childhood – even when life’s circumstances force them to grow up far too soon.
The event was organised in collaboration with Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University and the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers (UAPP).
