On the World Refugee Day, the Council of Europe Division on Migration and Refugees (DMR) organised the photo exhibition (UN)CORNERED / (НЕ)ЗАГНАНІ У КУТ by photographer Julia Wimmerlin, in partnership with the Permanent Representation of Ukraine.
Held in the Agora building’s Main Hall, the exhibition explored the lives of forcibly displaced Ukrainian women, under temporary protection in Switzerland. Through powerful portraits and quiet visual storytelling, the exhibition offers a poignant reflection on resilience, strength, and dignity in the face of war and displacement.
The event was opened by Gianluca Esposito, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe, who was joined by Ambassador Borys Tarasyuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the Council of Europe, Urs Beer, Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland, Andreas Wissner, UNHCR Representative to the European Institutions in Strasbourg, photographer Julia Wimmerlin, and Kateryna Debkaliuk, a participant featured in the project.
“This is not merely an exhibition. It is a visual chronicle of human dignity and admirable resilience,” said Gianluca Esposito in his opening remarks. “These photographs are a poignant affirmation of our Organisation’s commitment to human rights and solidarity. They remind us of the unbreakable strength of women who, even when cornered by war and loss, refuse to be defined by victimhood.”
The exhibition is part of broader Council of Europe efforts to highlight the experiences of refugees across the continent and the Council of Europe’s and its member states’ action in this field. As of 2025, nearly 12 million refugees are hosted in the Council of Europe area.
The event coincided with the organisation by DMR of the 11th meeting of the Council of Europe’s Network of Focal Points on Migration whose members attended the opening, alongside the permanent representatives of member states.
