Young people from across the world have been sharing their visions of a future free from war, nuclear disaster and environmental catastrophe through the No Global Chornobyl international poster competition, organised by The Chernobyl Relief Foundation UK (CRF) in collaboration with the Art School in Kherson, Ukraine.
Created to mark the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, the competition attracted almost 600 entries from children and young people in 80 towns across 12 countries, including Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Canada and Taiwan. From these entries, 101 posters were selected for recognition and exhibition.
The project has particular resonance in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Many of the participating Ukrainian children have experienced displacement, separation from home and the challenges of rebuilding their lives in new places. Their posters speak powerfully not only about the legacy of Chornobyl, but also about the ongoing consequences of war and the importance of creating a safer future.
Ukraine Policy Network Lead Sara Jones was a member of the international judging panel, which brought together representatives from the Embassy of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, artists, educators and community leaders from the UK and Ukraine.
Writing to participants after judging the competition, Sara reflected on the creativity and thoughtfulness of the entries:
“It was clear that each of you had thought carefully about how to express your response to the call for us to learn from the past to create a world with ‘No More Chornobyls’, that is, no more wars and no more ecological disasters: your visions for a planet on which we can all live peacefully and healthily shone through.”
She added:
“Brought together, the posters function as a powerful plea for older generations to protect the world that is your future; they also give me hope that that future is in good hands.”
The selected posters have already been exhibited at a number of CRF events and have featured on Ukrainian and UK platforms. A two-month exhibition was held at Milton Keynes Central Library, and the works are also due to be exhibited at Milton Keynes Gallery, bringing the young artists’ message of peace and environmental responsibility to an even wider audience.
The competition demonstrates the resilience, creativity and civic engagement of young people affected by conflict and crisis. Through art, participants have articulated a shared message that transcends borders: a call for peace, environmental responsibility and a future with “No More Chornobyls”.
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