Winnipeg exhibition honours children who died in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Dozens have gathered at an exhibition called “Garden of Angels of Ukraine, to see crocheted angels in honor of every child who love their life since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Ukrainian refugee Nataliya Mitso created this travelling art installation of over 500 crocheted angels in Slovakia, which were added individually as each child’s death was reported in an effort by Mitso to process her maternal pain.

“These innocent children who lost their lives are an integral part of us, our community, and our country,” said Joanne Lewandowsky, the president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba Provincial Council.

Since the exhibit started touring it has been displayed in many forms, with Winnipeg choosing to showcase the angels in a garden.

“We had an idea let’s make it a garden of angels, so we decided to do this and the purity of the white willow is the purity of the children it represents.”

Before the exhibit officially opened, dozens of middle-school children from the Ralph Brown and Oakbank English-Ukrainian bilingual program were in attendance, along with Minister of Families Nahanni Fontaine.

“I’m here to support the community in any way that I can and to take a stand against Russian aggression, in particular Russian aggression against children, who does that,” said Minister of Families, Nahanni Fontaine.

Prior to arriving in Winnipeg, the exhibition debuted in Kosice, Slovakia on National Children’s day and has since travelled to Germany, Sweden, Cypress, and the United Kingdom, and while it will soon be  touring across North America, Lewandowsky says volunteers have come forward to make more angels to stay here in Manitoba   

“We hope to have something at the upcoming Folklorama at the Kyiv Pavilion to commemorate and show people that we do care,” said Lewandowsky.

The exhibition will open to the public on April 20 from 2-4 p.m., and on April 21 from 12-4 p.m.