On Rynok Square in Lviv, the symbolic space “Place of Hope” continues to operate. Here, 860 personalised tags have already been placed, bearing the surnames of Ukraine’s male and female defenders who are in captivity or are considered missing. More than 30 further tags are currently being made in the workshop, after which they will also be added to the display.
“Place of Hope” was opened on 30 May this year at the request of the families of prisoners of war and missing service personnel. The central element of the space is a chair, which represents the empty place for those who must return. Metal tags with the names of service personnel are hung around it, and nearby grows the Tree of Hope, symbolising faith in their return. One of the paving stones beside it is inscribed with the words: “A place for those we are waiting for”.
According to the idea of the authors of the concept from the city’s Department of Architecture and Spatial Development, the wind sets the tags gently swaying and they chime softly — a reminder of each and every person awaited at home. The space has become a place of gathering and support for the families of prisoners of war and those who are missing.
Yevhen Boiko, Chief of Staff of the Executive Committee of Lviv City Council, noted that the chime of the tags on Rynok Square reminds the townspeople every day of the defenders whose fate is still unknown, and stressed that their loved ones believe each one of them will return.
All families of service personnel who are currently in captivity or are considered missing can take part in the creation of personalised tags. To do so, they need to fill in the relevant form; once it has been processed, a tag will be made in the workshop and placed in the “Place of Hope” space.
The Lviv Veterans Centre emphasises that each tag is not just an element of an installation, but a reminder of a specific person: a son or daughter, a husband or wife, a father, mother, brother or sister, who is still being awaited at home.