Monument for Ukraine in Eindhoven
24 February 2026
Connection is a word that is easily said in times of peace, but takes on real meaning in times of war. How do you stay connected when you have fled? How do you show that you are connected as a host country? After February 2022, Ukrainian flags were hanging everywhere. Then they gradually disappeared again. The municipality of Eindhoven does not want to quietly remove the flag, but to express connection in a different way. A bench based on the so-called “Czech hedgehog”, an obstacle used to keep armoured vehicles out of Kyiv. As a reference to the war. But above all, it shows the power of culture to bring about positive change.Narada was responsible for the concept of the bench, selction of the designers Sofiia Bondar and Misha Mazepa, the website with videos, and the opening event.
On Tuesday 24 February, the Ukraine monument was officially unveiled in Eindhoven. The ceremony took place exactly four years after the start of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The monument symbolises Eindhoven’s enduring solidarity with the Ukrainian people and its close ties with the Ukrainian community in the city. The gathering attracted a large crowd, including residents, representatives from both the national and local Ukrainian communities, social and cultural organisations, and councillors.
The monument serves as a place for reflection, connection and gathering. Ukrainian designers Sofiia Bondar and Misha Mazepa designed the bench based on the so-called ‘Czech hedgehog’, an obstacle used to keep enemy tanks out of Kyiv. It refers to the war, but above all demonstrates the power of culture in bringing about change.
Engraved on the bench is a poem by Maksym Kryvtsov, the young Ukrainian poet who died as a soldier in 2024.«Коли мене запитають, що таке війна, я без роздуму відповім – імена»."When I am asked what war is, I will answer without hesitation - names."- Maksym KryvtsovMayor Dijsselbloem: “Four years after the major Russian invasion, Eindhoven’s support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian community remains as strong as ever. The commemorative bench we have unveiled today, is a powerful symbol of this.” Pavlo Barvinko, chair of the Ukrainians in Eindhoven Foundation: “Eindhoven was one of the first cities in the Netherlands to offer support to Ukrainian refugees who arrived here from March 2022 onwards. And we are grateful for that, just as we are for this monument.”The monument to Ukraine is an initiative of the Ukrainians in Eindhoven Foundation and the City of Eindhoven. Video's (QR code also on the bench)