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"Lights Stay On" photo exhibition spotlights UNDP - European Union partnership in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine is having devastating humanitarian and economic consequences. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the EU and UNDP have supported the recovery of war-affected communities through restoring basic services, creating jobs, demining agricultural land, and rehabilitating energy and social infrastructure, including schools. A documentary photo exhibition “The Lights Stay On” at the European Parliament provides a powerful visual narrative of Ukraine’s resilience in the face of war and highlights the enduring partnership between the EU and UNDP in supporting recovery and development across the country. The exhibition captures the stories and portraits of 15 Ukrainians, showcasing moments of courage, perseverance, and hope. The visual concept draws inspiration from Belgian artist René Magritte’s work “L’état de veille” (“The Waking State”), evoking war-damaged buildings where light shines through broken windows as a symbol of life persisting amid destruction.

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Person in green jacket with hands clasped, Ukrainian flag and government building in background

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Our mission

UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in some 170 countries and territories, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges as they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.

Located in the heart of Europe, the UNDP Office in Brussels supports and promotes the partnership with the European Union, one of our major partners in nearly 140 countries worldwide in areas such as crisis and fragility, governance, and climate.

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EU - UNDP partnership at a glance

100+

countries

we have been working together

120

countries

have national climate plans

130+

countries

are designing and implementing finance solutions to protect biodiversity

80+

countries

have Integrated National Financing Frameworks, key to meet SDGs

60+

schools

in the war-affected areas in Ukraine repaired

40,000

women

empowered to lead small and medium businesses in Afghanistan

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