Brussels, Belgium, 11 May 2026 — B&K Agency brought the “Empty Beds” exhibition to the European Commission in Brussels as a part of the High-Level Meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children hosted by EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos.
B&K Agency worked with the Bird of Light Foundation to place the “Empty Beds” room at the Commission’s Berlaymont building for the high-level diplomatic gathering, attended by delegations from 63 countries and international organisations, including EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, Commissioner Marta Kos, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Canadian Minister Anita Anand.
There are more than 20,000 cases of deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia or temporarily Russian-controlled territory. According to Bring Kids Back UA, in fact more than 1.6 million Ukrainian children remain under Russian control – deported, forcibly transferred, or trapped in temporarily occupied territories.
During the High-Level Meeting, Ukraine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said, “We saw an exhibition called “Empty Beds”, a deeply emotional and disturbing experience. For us in Ukraine, this is not about art, it’s a horrible reality of stolen children.”
Zhanna Galeyeva, co-founder of the Bird of Light Ukraine, in her speech during the exhibition unveiling alongside the High-Level meeting highlighted its emotional and political impact: “Empty Beds turns a distant tragedy into a felt reality. Not one single person who entered this room walked out the same. From parliament to parliament, from heart to heart, the installation continues its journey across Europe until all Ukrainian children are back home — safe, free, and reunited with their families.”
Julia Kril, Executive Director at B&K Agency, said: “The “Empty Beds” installation carries a powerful message. The goal of bringing it to the European Commission and the delegations attending the High-Level Meeting is to ensure that the stories of Ukrainian children are heard at the highest political level. We are proud to support initiatives that bring human reality into institutional spaces and contribute to meaningful international engagement around bringing Ukrainian children home.”
Over the past two months, the “Empty Beds” installation has traveled to three of Europe’s most consequential institutional venues, namely European Parliament in Luxembourg and Brussels and the European Commission. “Empty Beds’ was featured on Europe Day as the part of European Commission’s main programming. The installation is set to be placed further across Member State capitals to reach the decisionmakers and encourage action to return Ukrainian children home.
About B&K Agency: B&K Agency is a Brussels-based EU public affairs company helping clients navigate global policy dynamics at the intersection of public affairs and geopolitics.
About Bird of Light Foundation: Bird of Light is a charitable foundation operating in Ukraine. Since February 2022, the organization delivered $6.7 M in humanitarian projects— care packages, water infrastructure, medical, childcare reform, and advocacy, reaching 675,000+ people across 15 regions.
