Exhibition “Invisible. Resilience: The Past and Present of the Roma” Opens in Odesa

On 4 June 2026, the exhibition Invisible. Resilience: Past and Present of Roma opened at the Territory of Memory Genocide Museum in Odesa.

The exhibition was created by the Youth Agency for the Advocacy of Roma Culture ARCA in partnership with the National Historical and Memorial Reserve “Babyn Yar” and the Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies, with the support of the Embassy of Germany in Ukraine and the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory.

The exhibition explores Roma history through the lenses of memory, persecution, and resilience. It traces the connection between the tragedy of the Roma genocide during the Second World War and the contemporary lives of Roma communities in Ukraine amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.

Through survivor testimonies, archival documents, historical photographs, contemporary artworks, and stories of Roma human rights defenders, cultural figures, and service members, the exhibition brings into the public sphere voices that have long remained underrepresented in collective memory.

Speaking at the opening, Roza Tapanova, Director General of the National Historical and Memorial Reserve “Babyn Yar”, emphasized:

“During the Second World War, Roma communities became victims of genocide. After the war, their tragedy remained on the margins of public memory for decades. Today, our task is to restore these people and their stories to their rightful place in history and in the public sphere. Remembering the Roma genocide is an important part of our shared responsibility to preserve the truth about the past.”

The exhibition will be on view at the Territory of Memory Genocide Museum until 26 July 2026.

Address:
10 Sadova Street, Odesa

Opening hours:
• Tuesday–Thursday: 11:00–16:00
• Friday: 14:00–18:00
• Saturday: 11:00–15:00

Admission is free.