Photo exhibition "Ukraine's DNA. 100 Days on the Road" opens in Riga: Featuring Ukrainian music, bandura, borscht, and a charitable initiative for UNBROKEN Kids

14.10.2026, 11:26 rubryka.com

Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže, representatives of the Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia, a representative from the Riga City Council leadership, head of the Ziedot.lv charitable organization Rūta Dimanta, and Chief Operating Officer of the Origo Shopping Center Ervīns Ozoliņš are expected to participate in the grand opening of the exhibition.

The artistic program features Ukrainian singer Artem Basov, the "Stepovychka" dance ensemble, and bandurist Odarka Leleko. In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to taste traditional Ukrainian borscht.

Over 100 days traveling across Ukraine

The "Ukraine's DNA. 100 Days on the Road" photo exhibition represents the outcome of a long-term journalistic project by the Latvian "Četri ceļo gardi" (Four Travel Tasty) family, which includes journalist and author Jānis Grandāns, his wife Dita, and their children.

In recent years, the family spent over 100 days in Ukraine, visiting dozens of cities and settlements while exploring both well-known tourist destinations and lesser-known regions. Among the places featured in their travels are Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Chernivtsi, Kamianets-Podilskyi, the Carpathians, and many other cities and communities.

During this period, the family published over 50 journalistic pieces about Ukraine across their own "Četri ceļo gardi" platform and in Latvian national media.

The photographs display architectural monuments, historical towns, natural landscapes, traditions, gastronomy, and the daily lives of Ukrainians. The organizers aim to showcase the country's multifaceted nature through personal encounters, genuine stories, and documentary photographs taken during their journeys.

For the Latvian family, the project expanded far beyond standard travel journalism. In August 2025, Jānis Grandāns and his son completed a 1,600-kilometer charity bicycle journey from Riga to Odesa. In cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia, the Ziedot.lv charity platform, and other partners, the family also helped collect and deliver several hundred bicycles for Ukrainian children.

In 2026, the family cycled the 250-kilometer Camino Podolico route, highlighting tourism opportunities in Podillia, local communities, and the region's cultural heritage. Family members are also learning the Ukrainian language, and Jānis is working on his first book, titled "Mission: Unbreakable," dedicated to his travel experiences in Ukraine and meetings with its people.

An exhibition with a charitable mission

A key component of the photo exhibition is a charitable initiative supporting children undergoing rehabilitation at the UNBROKEN Center in Lviv.

In partnership with the Latvian charity platform Ziedot.lv, the exhibition is raising funds to purchase necessary rehabilitation equipment. The initiative aims to help children receive high-quality rehabilitation care and support during recovery.

Exhibition visitors can learn more about the charity project and discover how to contribute to the fundraising effort.

Ukrainian culture in Riga's open public space

The exhibition takes place at the Open-Air Photography Gallery near the Origo Shopping Center, which has served as a publicly accessible, free cultural space in the heart of the Latvian capital for over ten years.

The organizers hope the exhibition will help a broader audience discover Ukraine's rich cultural heritage, regional diversity, architecture, traditions, and human stories.

Admission to the opening ceremony is free. The organizers invite everyone to spend the afternoon immersed in Ukrainian culture, music, and traditions, discovering a new side of Ukraine while supporting a vital charitable cause.

Destination Ukraine — Continuing cooperation between the two nations

The photo exhibition represents one of several projects led by Destination Ukraine, a non-governmental organization founded by Jānis Grandāns to foster cooperation between Ukraine and the Baltic states.

The organization promotes Ukrainian travel destinations, develops cultural and media initiatives, and creates new opportunities for Ukrainian businesses to collaborate with partners in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

Destination Ukraine is currently assembling its first portfolio of Ukrainian manufacturers interested in entering Baltic markets, with plans to expand contacts into Nordic countries.

For the organizers, the photo exhibition in Riga does not mark the end of their travels in Ukraine, but rather the continuation of a long-term project that combines journalism, tourism, culture, charity, and practical international cooperation.

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