Ukraine pavilion at expo shares peace message, grim realities

Asahi Shimbun

3 days ago

Inna Ilyna, director of the Ukrainian pavilion at the Osaka Kansai Expo, on June 16 in Osaka's Konohana Ward (Takuya Tanabe)
OSAKA--'Not for Sale,' the theme of the Ukrainian pavilion at the Osaka Kansai Expo, is sending a message to visitors from around the world.
Ukraine will continue striving for world peace but will do whatever it takes to protect its priceless values from Russian aggression.
These values are represented in 18 statues on display at the pavilion, a particularly popular facility among both VIPs and ordinary folk at the expo.
More than three years since Russian troops started the invasion of Ukraine, fighting continues in the European nation.
The pavilion's director, Inna Ilyna, 45, said she checks the constant stream of news about war damage in her homeland on her smartphone.
'Every time I hear that many children have been killed, my heart truly aches,' she said.
One of the statues is M-shaped to denote 'metro.' Visitors who scan a barcode on the statue can watch a video of children and students studying inside a subway station to evade air raids.
The statue represents how Russia is threatening the right to education in Ukraine.
Ilyna, a mother of two, described another sculpture that resembles a toy horse as 'too painful to face squarely.'
The showpiece displays an image of a blood-stained toy horse owned by a victim of a cluster bomb attack.
The statue not only symbolizes Moscow's use of 'inhumane' weapons, but it also represents a condemnation of Russia's abduction and indoctrination of Ukrainian children.
FROM CULTURE TO WAR
Born in Kyiv in 1979, Ilyna majored in Japanese at a national university in the Ukrainian capital.
From 2019, Ilyna pursued a career as a diplomat at the Ukrainian Embassy in Japan for five and a half years.
Initially responsible for promoting Ukrainian culture, she planned and organized lecture sessions at Japanese high schools and music events to build a bridge between her home country and Japan.
However, her duties dramatically changed after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The Ukrainian Embassy was flooded with relief supplies and donations from across Japan every day.
Ilyna was tasked with securing temporary storage locations for the contributed goods and eventually delivering them to Ukraine.
'I wanted to do everything I could for my nation's sake at the time,' she said.
Ilyna downloaded an air raid warning app on her smartphone to stay updated on the situation in Ukraine. The alarm often went off at night, leaving her unable to sleep for days due to fears about her family's safety.
Ilyna said she still receives notifications of incoming missiles on her smartphone on a daily basis.
CALLS FOR PEACE, GLORY
Some leaders and VIPs from the 158 countries and regions taking part in the Osaka Kansai Expo have visited the Ukrainian pavilion, including Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo.
Ilyna makes a point of providing special guests with thoughtful explanations of Ukraine's plight.
In early June, Ilyna guided Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide around the pavilion. Following the session, Eide emphasized to reporters that Norway's persistent support for Ukraine will contribute to the security of both countries and the rule of law worldwide.
Visitors to the pavilion are placing origami cranes and Ukrainian flags featuring messages, such as 'peace for Ukraine' and 'glory to Ukraine.'
One individual has repeatedly visited the pavilion since the international fair's opening in April, expressing 'sympathy for your prolonged difficult time' while offering words of support.
The five staff members of the pavilion said such words and deeds dramatically lift their spirits and make them feel, 'We, Ukrainians, are not alone.'
Ilyna was asked about other conflicts around the world, including the recent hostilities between Israel and Iran.
'It is sad and scary that the warfare has broken out,' lamented Ilyna, before the Israel-Iran ceasefire was reached. 'People worldwide should focus on creating happy lives rather than destroying things.'
With the Osaka Kansai Expo nearing its halfway point, Ilyna said she is increasingly determined to convey her message of peace through the pavilion.
'My hope is that people will eventually become aware that peace and democracy should not be taken for granted but must be protected,' she said.
Working with pavilions of nations showing solidarity with Ukraine, Ilyna is planning a collaborative event themed on 'war and peace' for Ukrainian national day on Aug. 5.