Photo: VR Museum of War in Ukraine

Selkirk College in Castlegar and the Castlegar and District Community Complex will be hosting an interactive event for attendees to experience through virtual reality (VR) the documented devastation of the war in Ukraine.

Event organizer Olga Hallborg said that the main purpose of this virtual reality exhibition is to draw people's attention to concepts like war, peace, justice, freedom and independence.

"These values, democratic values, they are being challenged right now, and not only in Ukraine, they've been challenged around the world," she said.

Organized by the Maple Hope Foundation and the VR Museum of War in Ukraine, the exhibition seeks to educate the public on the real-life catastrophes experienced by the people of Ukraine through 36 panoramic images and drone footage.

Hallborg explained that people should not be afraid of the virtual reality aspect as there will not be any blood or devastating images included.

"It will give ... (an) experience of Ukraine, specifically destroyed buildings. In fact, the photographers who took those 360-degree images, they were very brave."

The works include pictures from photojournalists who risked their lives to capture the images of the devastation caused by the Russian invasion.

"We as Canadians here, we enjoy peace, but we need to understand that peace needs to be protected. In order for it to be, it's not enough to have kind intentions ourselves," said Hallborg.

Another goal of the exhibition goal to help raise awareness and expose attendees to the harsh reality that many men, women and children faced during and after being displaced by the war in Ukraine that broke out in February 2022.

"We have a few Ukrainian newcomers, refugees who came during the war. I have relatives also affected by this," she added.

The exhibition will also help to raise funds for humanitarian relief foundations that help grieving families.

"Grieving is such thing which can prevent you from being able to continue, and when those women lost their children or spouse, they want to regain some of that strength," adding that there will special items for sale whose sales will go towards helping those affected.

"We will be kindly accepting donations for me, Bucha Foundation, which is Ukrainian Canadian non-profit based in Vancouver."

The event is free and will take place in Castlegar at Selkirk College on Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and at the Castlegar and District Community Complex on Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.