On October 10 at 4:00 PM, the exhibition “Unissued Diplomas” will open in Valmiera, at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA), Cēsu Street 4 courtyard. The exhibition will present the stories of Ukrainian students and will be on display from October 10 to November 11.
Valmiera — as an educational hub of the Vidzeme region — will be one of the places hosting this international exhibition, offering everyone the opportunity to learn more about the experiences of Ukrainian students and the current situation in Ukraine.
The exhibition opening will feature Member of the European Parliament Reinis Pozņaks, Deputy Chair of the Valmiera Municipality Council Ričards Gailums, ViA Rector Agnese Dāvidsone, ViA Council Member Gatis Krūmiņš, ViA researcher from Ukraine Yuliia Kovalenko, and a ViA exchange student from Ukraine. The event will be moderated by ViA Vice-Rector for Development Iveta Putniņa.
The exhibition presents the stories of Ukrainian students who lost their lives during Russia’s invasion. The project serves as a reminder that the war continues — and that it claims lives every single day. Each unissued diploma in the exhibition is accompanied by a personal story, revealing who the student wanted to become and what their life was like before the war.
“We share the life stories of young people who will never graduate from their study programs and who will never walk through their university doors again. We invite reflection on the opportunities we have — and how fragile they really are. We hope these stories will inspire thoughts on how to build better education for the future. Support for Ukrainian universities, their educators, and students is essential — and Ukraine’s experience is invaluable for our own learning,” said Iveta Putniņa, Vice-Rector for Development, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences
Over the past year, ViA — together with other E³UDRES² European University partners and representatives from Ukraine and the Western Balkans — has worked on a joint cooperation strategy. This initiative has enabled Ukrainian university staff to actively participate in various on-site and online training events, take part in international weeks hosted by universities, contribute to the development of the “Future Universities” concept, and partially continue their daily academic duties and work with students.
The “Unissued Diplomas” project began in 2023 and has since been showcased in more than 110 exhibitions across 24 countries.
Admission to the exhibition is free, and it is accessible at any time of day.
