Ukraine presented an art project about the impact of demining on Ukrainians' lives and global food security in Switzerland

During the Ukraine Mine Action Conference (UMAC2024), held in Lausanne, Switzerland, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine — Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko presented the art project "Soul of Soil". This is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the United Nations Development Programme, the social enterprise "Moim.Ridnym" and chef, opinion leader, and TV presenter Olha Martynovska.

According to Yuliia Svyrydenko, the art project "Soul of Soil" relates how demining affects the lives of Ukrainians and global food security. It also demonstrates the progress achieved over the past year in humanitarian demining owing to efforts within the country and the support of international partners.

The project features stories of residents in regions bordering Russia impacted by mining operations, as well as stories of farmers from the Mykolaiv region whose farmland had been mined. Currently, agricultural producers are restoring works on the demined fields, cultivating wheat and vegetables that subsequently reach global markets.

"Ukraine has already managed to return over 35 thousand square kilometers of previously potentially mined territories to use. To compare, this is larger than the area of Belgium. For us, it is very important that our international partners see the real impact of their assistance on the lives of Ukrainians. That these are not just hectares of land — these are millions of lives. Moreover, not only in Ukraine but around the world, as Ukraine is one of the key suppliers of grain to world markets. And as long as our lands are mined, world food security will also suffer," says Yuliia Svyrydenko.

The art project "Soul of Soil" includes two elements that symbolize to the international community the real price of every dinner for families in Ukraine and the world that Ukraine has to pay.

During the launch of the project, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNDP Associate Administrator Haoliang Xu highlighted the urgent need for a global partnership in backing Ukraine's recovery.

"The agricultural sector of Ukraine is decisive for global food security, and the devastating impact of mines poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to the most vulnerable populations in the world. UNDP is proud to support the 'Soul of Soil' project, which underscores the urgent need for international cooperation to accelerate demining efforts and ensure that Ukraine's fertile lands can once again feed millions of people," noted Haoliang Xu.

The first element of the project is a dish prepared from products cultivated on the demined fields of Mykolaiv region. The facility where these products were harvested restored service after Snihurivka was de-occupied, almost 6,000 hectares of fields were demined during this period, and wheat alongside other crops — vegetables and melons — are presently being grown.

Chef Olha Martynovska, a native of the Mykolaiv region, cooked the dish. To draw attention to the problem of demining, Olha visited her native places and prepared a traditional Ukrainian appetizer using local vegetables.

"At what cost, what risks people take to grow wheat, so I could then bake the (traditional Ukrainian bread) palyanytsia!" stated Olha Martynovska. "You cannot put a price on this bread, because this is the price of life."

The second part of the project consists of napkins embroidered by elderly women from the Sumy region, who are part of the public organization "Moim.Ridnym". The organization assists older women in staying active in the labor market.

"Creating linen embroidered napkins signifies far more to the artisans of the social enterprise 'Moim.Ridnym' than just manufacturing — it's a feeling of the significance of their own labor, capacity, and involvement in consequential matters within their country. Synergizing with the partners behind the 'Soul of Soil' project, we were able to deliver a vital meaning about the resilience of the Ukrainian people through crafts and the spikelet emblem — which carries deep significance for our history. It has witnessed so many historical periods spanning from Trypillia to the Famine of 1932-33. And now the spikelet bears witness to the indomitable spirit of Ukrainian farmers. This project is also about women's leadership. After all, to craft these napkins, women united with other artisans in the project across the villages of Sumy on different stages and created collectively, thereby strengthening their community," remarks Kira Okhrimenko, founder of "Moim.Ridnym".

Within the framework of the "Soul of Soil" art project presentation in Lausanne, Yuliia Svyrydenko presented packages containing linen napkins featuring an embroidered spikelet and a vegetable appetizer to heads of international delegations participating in the Ukraine Mine Action Conference (UMAC2024).