Taking place at NIROX Sculpture Park and Kromdraai Impact Hub, South Africa, the project brought together artists, writers and researchers from Ukraine and South Africa to reflect on shared global concerns including children’s rights, environmental challenges and the importance of dialogue across borders.

Throughout the residency, that took place 13-27 Aug, Ukrainian artists Anastasiia Shcherban and Olha Fedorova worked alongside South African artist Diana Victor, exploring shared contexts and creating new work shaped by common reflection and place.

The residency was accompanied by the recording of 3 NIROX Dialogues podcast series, offering in-depth conversations with participants and invited experts. Check out the Shared ground episode on the podcast to hear more about it.

The project culminated in a public event at NIROX Sculpture Park, featuring a panel discussion moderated by Thati Mokgoro (TEDxJohannesburg curator), with:
• Żanna Słoniowska – Ukrainian-born Polish novelist and academic
• Hlonipha Mokoena – South African historian, expert in Ubuntu philosophy
• Anastasiia Shcherban and Olha Fedorova – Ukrainian Institute-NIROX resident artists from Ukraine

• Nataliya Gumenyuk – a Ukrainian journalist and author specializing in conflict reporting

The discussion focused on children’s rights and cultural responsibility, highlighting the role of artists and intellectuals in shaping ethical frameworks and inclusive narratives within society. The event concluded with a live musical performance of eclectic mix of sounds with instruments both modern and traditional by Tubatsi Moloi.

The project was organized by Ukrainian institute, NIROX Foundation in collaboration with Kromdraai Impact Hub, and supported by NGO ‘Cultural Diplomacy Foundation’, Democracy Works Foundation, Embassy of the Netherlands in Pretoria (South Africa), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria (South Africa), Ukraine Communications Group, Embassy of Ukraine to the Republic of South Africa, and National Heritage Council.