“No dictator has the right to redraw borders with blood, and no people should agree on how much of their freedom they must sacrifice in order for the aggressor to finally stop“. These words were spoken by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Bulgaria Olesya Ilashchuk during the official opening ceremony of the exhibition “The Unbreakable: Light in the Darkness“, dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraine's Independence. The author of the photos is Sergiy Gimyush. Gimyush forever captures the damage that war inflicts on peaceful citizens - on their souls, lives, homes.
It is interesting to mention that Bulgaria is well known to Sergiy - he lived in Bulgaria as a child, while his parents worked at the Embassy of Ukraine in Sofia. In May 2022 Sergiy was wounded while delivering humanitarian aid to recently liberated villages in the Kharkiv region. After a long struggle by Ukrainian and German doctors, he survived, but unfortunately lost both of his legs. Sergiy managed not only to survive, but also to live a full life - working, traveling, even playing football and driving a car. With his example, he managed to inspire everyone around him.
„Today we open a unique photo exhibition that shows modern Ukraine. The author is a volunteer, a photographer, an extremely strong person. Since the beginning of the war, Sergiy has been helping people and, through his lens, preserving the truth about what Ukraine is going through and for this he has paid a high price. Today's exhibition has a special symbolism of the diversity of Ukrainian-Bulgarian relations. Ukrainian-Bulgarian relations are celebrating their 109th anniversary this year,“ said Ambassador Ilashchuk.
„I never imagined that I would return to Bulgaria, already as an old man, carrying with me the history of my country. The exhibition is dedicated to Ukraine and the restoration of its independence. These photos are not just about the war. They are about people, about Ukrainians who continue to live, dream, write, share“, said Sergiy Ghimyush during the opening.
Each photo has its own story and together they form part of a larger story – the story of our country, Ukraine, which we are experiencing today.
“For me, it is very symbolic that this exhibition is being held here in Bulgaria, because the Bulgarian people do not need to be explained what it is to fight for freedom“, said Gumish.