On October 14, 2026, an outdoor photo exhibition titled “Ukraine’s DNA. 100 Days on the Road” officially opened at the Open-Air Photography Gallery near the Origo Shopping Center in central Riga, Latvia. The exhibition is the culmination of a long-term journalistic and travel project by the Latvian family “Četri ceļo gardi,” consisting of journalist and author Jānis Grandāns, his wife Dita, and their children, who spent over 100 days exploring various Ukrainian regions, cities, architecture, cultural heritage, and daily life.
The grand opening featured prominent guests, including Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže, representatives from the Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia, Riga City Council leadership, Ziedot.lv head Rūta Dimanta, and Origo Shopping Center Chief Operating Officer Ervīns Ozoliņš. The cultural program included performances by Ukrainian singer Artem Basov, the “Stepovychka” dance ensemble, and bandurist Odarka Leleko, alongside traditional Ukrainian borscht tasting.
During their extensive travels across Ukraine, the family visited major hubs and lesser-known areas alike, including Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Chernivtsi, Kamianets-Podilskyi, and the Carpathians, publishing over 50 journalistic pieces in Latvian national media and on their own platform. Their documentary photographs capture architectural landmarks, natural landscapes, traditions, gastronomy, and ordinary Ukrainian lives. The project’s scope extends beyond standard travel journalism; in August 2025, Jānis Grandāns and his son completed a 1,600-kilometer charity bicycle journey from Riga to Odesa, helping deliver hundreds of bicycles to Ukrainian children in cooperation with the Ukrainian Embassy and Ziedot.lv. In 2026, the family also cycled the 250-kilometer Camino Podolico route to promote regional tourism and heritage, while Jānis works on his upcoming book, “Mission: Unbreakable.”
Beyond showcasing Ukraine’s multifaceted nature, the exhibition serves a vital charitable purpose. In partnership with the Latvian charity platform Ziedot.lv, the organizers are collecting donations to purchase essential rehabilitation equipment for children at the UNBROKEN Center in Lviv.
The exhibition is also tied to “Destination Ukraine,” a non-governmental organization founded by Jānis Grandāns to foster cooperation between Ukraine and the Baltic states by promoting travel destinations, developing cultural and media initiatives, and creating business collaboration opportunities. The NGO is currently assembling a portfolio of Ukrainian manufacturers seeking to enter Baltic and Nordic markets. The exhibition in Riga represents an ongoing commitment to combining journalism, tourism, culture, charity, and practical international cooperation between Latvia and Ukraine. Admission to the exhibition is free.
