The Victor Pinchuk Foundation collaborated with FINN Partners in May 2022 to launch the Russian War Crimes House at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
Just three months after Russia invaded Ukraine, they transformed what was once called Russia House into a platform showcasing photos, videos, and stories of war victims.
The Foundation worked with the Pinchuk Art Centre, Ukraine’s President’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers to show global leaders what was happening to Ukrainian civilians.
WEF draws over 2,500 leaders yearly from business, politics, and civil society. The Victor Pinchuk Foundation saw this gathering as a rare chance to put Ukraine’s crisis directly in front of people who could help. The stakes were high—with global attention shifting away from the war, Ukraine needed to regain focus at this critical moment.
Victor Pinchuk Foundation’s Strategy for WEF Impact
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation faced a crowded agenda at WEF, competing with other global issues for attention. FINN Partners, who had supported the Foundation for over ten years, brought teams from the US, UK, and Europe to help place Ukraine at the center of discussions.
“FINN Partners took our vision and made it resonate globally. The Russian War Crimes House wasn’t just an event—it was a wake-up call that reached millions,” said the Victor Pinchuk Foundation Team.
The strategy centered on creating contrast—while most WEF venues featured polished presentations about economic growth and technology, the Russian War Crimes House showed raw reality. You would walk from talks about trade and investment into a space filled with evidence of attacks on civilians. This stark difference helped the Foundation cut through the usual Davos discussions.
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation chose this approach based on years of experience at WEF. They knew that facts alone wouldn’t break through, but emotional impact combined with concrete evidence would be hard to ignore. Their goal went beyond awareness—they wanted commitments to action.
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Challenges Victor Pinchuk Foundation Faced
1. Standing Out in a Packed Schedule
WEF hosts hundreds of events with over 2,500 attendees juggling busy schedules. The Victor Pinchuk Foundation needed to:
- Make leaders choose their war exhibit over other sessions
- Break through the noise of countless competing events
- Create something memorable in a sea of panels and talks
- Convince time-pressed executives to make room in packed calendars
- Overcome the tendency of WEF attendees to stick to familiar topics
How do you make busy global leaders prioritize your message? The Foundation selected the former Russia House location—a choice that created instant interest due to its symbolic value. The space itself became part of the story, making it easier to pitch to media and attract visitors who might otherwise focus on economic sessions.
For many WEF attendees, Ukraine felt distant despite its European location. The Foundation had to make the war feel present and relevant in the Alpine setting of Davos. Their exhibit design aimed to transport you from the safety of Switzerland to the reality of war zones just hours away by plane.
2. Fighting War Fatigue
Three months into the war, public interest was dropping:
- Media coverage engagement fell 15% by May 2022
- People were shifting focus to domestic concerns
- The initial shock of the invasion had worn off
- Ukraine stories were moving from front pages to middle sections
- Social media engagement with war content declined steadily each month
How do you get people to care again? The Foundation needed fresh ways to present Ukraine’s story with immediate emotional impact. They faced the classic problem of crisis communication—maintaining urgency when the situation becomes the “new normal.”
Further More, The Victor Pinchuk Foundation knew from experience that even well-meaning leaders start to tune out ongoing crises. You might care deeply about Ukraine but still find your attention pulled to immediate business concerns or the next crisis.
Breaking through this fatigue required new angles and visceral content that would renew emotional connection.
3. Presenting a Complete Picture of Ukraine
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation needed to show Ukraine as more than just a war zone:
- Business leaders needed reasons to invest in Ukraine’s future
- Focusing only on destruction risked audience disengagement
- A one-dimensional portrait would limit support
- Ukraine’s economic potential needed to be part of the story
- Cultural resilience deserved a spotlight alongside military resistance
How do you create a balanced narrative? The Foundation had to combine war documentation with forward-looking discussions about reconstruction. This balance proved especially tricky—show too much horror, and people turn away; focus too much on the future, and you minimize current suffering.
You might wonder why Ukraine’s economic future matters during active conflict. The Victor Pinchuk Foundation recognized that WEF attendees think long-term. To secure lasting commitment, they needed to show Ukraine as a future partner worth supporting, not just a current victim needing aid.
4. Balancing Hard Truth with Engagement
Exhibits showing war crimes had to be:
- Powerful enough to move people to action
- Not so graphic that people would turn away
- Respectful of victims while telling their stories
- Credible with proper documentation and context
- Accessible to people with varying comfort levels
How do you present difficult content without losing your audience? The Foundation needed careful curation and context. They faced ethical questions about showing destruction and human suffering while respecting both victims and viewers.
The team spent weeks selecting images and testimonies that would create impact without crossing into exploitation. You would feel the weight of what happened but still be able to engage with the content rather than turning away. This delicate balance required input from journalists, human rights experts, and psychologists.
Victor Pinchuk Foundation’s Four-Part Solution
1. Creating an Unmissable Experience
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation transformed the Russia House into a direct challenge:
- Photos of destroyed Ukrainian towns lined walls once used to promote Russian business
- Victim testimonials played on video screens
- 18,000 people watched the opening online
- Curated path guided visitors through different aspects of the conflict
- Physical artifacts from attack sites created tangible connections
What made it work? The stark contrast between the space’s former purpose and its new role created a narrative that demanded attention. The location itself became part of the story—a physical representation of how Russia’s place in global discourse had changed.
The exhibition design allowed for different levels of engagement. You could spend five minutes getting key facts or an hour diving deep into individual stories. This flexibility proved crucial for busy WEF attendees with limited time between sessions.
2. Hosting Strategic Events
Beyond the exhibit itself, the Victor Pinchuk Foundation created multiple touchpoints:
- The Davos Ukrainian Breakfast Discussion brought together mayors and thought leaders
- Human rights panels featured experts like Liudmyla Denisova and Kenneth Roth
- Reconstruction talks with leaders such as Ivan Fedorov focused on Ukraine’s future
- Small group discussions allowed for deeper engagement with specific topics
- Cultural events showcased Ukrainian resilience through arts and creativity
These events connected the war to broader issues of human rights, economics, and European security. By hosting multiple formats, the Foundation created entry points for different interests. You might come for economic discussions but stay for human rights conversations, or vice versa.
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation carefully scheduled these events to build on each other. Morning sessions presented problems, midday panels explored impacts, and afternoon discussions focused on solutions. This progression helped move visitors from awareness to commitment.
3. Driving Media Coverage
FINN Partners secured widespread media attention:
- 118 major outlets covered the exhibition, including BBC, CNN, and The Guardian
- Stories reached 20 billion impressions across global media
- Coverage spanned news, business, and policy publications
- Photo essays brought the exhibition to those who couldn’t attend
- Video segments featured on broadcast networks worldwide
The team pitched angles tied to WEF themes, making Ukraine relevant across different media beats. Business reporters got economic impact stories. Political journalists received governance angles. Human interest writers found compelling personal narratives.
Media coverage extended the impact far beyond Davos. You might never attend WEF, but these stories brought the Russian War Crimes House to your screen at home or work. This amplification transformed a local exhibition into a global conversation.
4. Maintaining Momentum
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation kept attention throughout WEF with:
- Regular media alerts connecting Ukraine to emerging forum topics
- Updates on exhibition impact and visitor reactions
- Fresh content for journalists looking for daily stories
- New testimonials released strategically throughout the week
- Response statements to related discussions happening elsewhere at WEF
This approach ensured Ukraine remained in discussions throughout the week-long event. Rather than a single news cycle on opening day, the Foundation created sustained coverage that built over time.
The team monitored WEF sessions for relevant links to Ukraine. When topics like energy security or food supply chains came up in other venues, they quickly provided Ukraine-specific context to journalists. This responsiveness kept the story fresh and relevant each day.
Results from the Foundation’s Campaign
1. Massive Media Reach
The campaign broke through the noise with:
- 20 billion earned impressions across global media
- 118 stories in top-tier outlets
- Coverage that dominated 48% of media conversations compared to competitors
- Front-page placement in major newspapers
- Prime-time coverage on international broadcasts
This exposure brought Ukraine’s reality to audiences worldwide despite competing news. The media saturation made Ukraine impossible to ignore, even for those not attending WEF.
The coverage quality matched its quantity. You saw in-depth analyses rather than brief mentions, with journalists spending significant time exploring the exhibition’s content and implications. This depth of reporting helped convey the full impact of what the Victor Pinchuk Foundation presented.
2. Digital Engagement
Beyond physical attendance, the exhibition reached global audiences:
- 18,000 people watched the opening live online
- Social media sharing extended the reach beyond Davos
- Digital content allowed people worldwide to experience the exhibition
- Virtual tours provided access to those who couldn’t attend
- Online discussions connected global participants with on-site experts
This digital strategy multiplied the impact far beyond those physically present. For every person who walked through the Russian War Crimes House, thousands more engaged with its content online.
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation created digital assets designed for sharing. You could easily post exhibition highlights to your own networks, spreading the message through trusted personal connections rather than just institutional channels.
3. Changed Perceptions of Ukraine
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation successfully presented Ukraine as:
- A nation showing resilience, not just suffering
- A country with plans for reconstruction
- A crucial part of Europe’s future security and prosperity
- A defender of democratic values through costly sacrifice
- A potential economic partner worthy of investment
WEF attendees left with a deeper understanding of Ukraine’s situation and potential. Surveys showed significant shifts in how leaders perceived Ukraine’s place in Europe’s future.
These perception changes mattered because they affected policy decisions. You think differently about supporting a country when you see it as a future partner rather than just a current victim. The Victor Pinchuk Foundation deliberately built this bridge between present crisis and future cooperation.
4. Action from World Leaders
The exhibition prompted concrete responses:
- Over 2,500 WEF attendees experienced the exhibition or joined related events
- Policy statements after Davos showed increased support for Ukraine
- Business leaders initiated new projects focused on Ukraine’s needs
- Humanitarian organizations expanded their Ukrainian operations
- Media outlets committed to continued coverage of the conflict
The campaign turned awareness into action among key decision-makers. Within weeks of WEF, multiple new support initiatives launched directly citing the Russian War Crimes House as their catalyst.
“FINN Partners exceeded every goal. The Russian War Crimes House hit 20 billion impressions and 18,000 live streams, putting Ukraine’s truth front and center,” noted a Foundation representative.
Key Lessons from Foundation
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation’s success offers clear lessons for breaking through at major forums:
- Use symbolic spaces: Converting Russia House created an immediate narrative hook
- Combine evidence with vision: Show both current reality and future possibilities
- Create multiple touchpoints: Don’t rely on a single event or exhibition
- Extend reach digitally: Livestreams and online content multiply your impact
- Connect to broader themes: Link your issue to the forum’s main topics
- Balance emotional impact with factual credibility: Support powerful images with solid data
- Design for different attention spans: Allow both quick and deep engagement options
- Prepare for media opportunities: Have stories ready that fit different news angles
- Track both immediate and long-term results: Measure impact beyond the event itself
Victor Pinchuk Foundation’s Impact Beyond Davos
The Russian War Crimes House did more than just raise awareness—it changed the conversation about Ukraine at a critical moment. By showing both the brutal reality of war and Ukraine’s resilience, the Victor Pinchuk Foundation ensured that global leaders understood what was at stake.
The approach worked because it:
- Made Ukraine impossible to ignore at a forum focused on other global issues
- Presented evidence that demanded a response
- Connected Ukraine’s fight to the values WEF attendees claim to uphold
- Offered clear ways for business and policy leaders to help
- Created emotional connection through personal stories, not just statistics
When you need to break through at a crowded global forum, consider how the Victor Pinchuk Foundation turned one of the most difficult communication challenges into a defining moment for Ukraine’s voice on the world stage.
The impact continued well beyond Davos. Media coverage sparked by the exhibition led to ongoing attention to Russian actions in Ukraine. Policy discussions started at WEF continued in national capitals across Europe and North America. The Victor Pinchuk Foundation created not just a moment but a movement.
Victor Pinchuk Foundation’s Formula for Crisis Communication
Want to apply these lessons to your own communication challenges? Follow these steps:
- Find your symbolic moment: What physical or metaphorical space can you transform?
- Show both problems and solutions: Balance difficult truths with forward-looking options
- Create layers of engagement: Give people multiple ways to connect with your message
- Make strategic media partnerships: Work with journalists who can amplify your story
- Connect to existing priorities: Show why your issue matters to your audience’s goals
- Prepare flexible content: Develop materials for different attention spans and interests
- Build emotional bridges: Help people connect personally with distant issues
- Plan for sustained engagement: Design your campaign to last beyond the launch
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation’s work at Davos shows that even the most difficult messages can break through when you combine strategic thinking with powerful execution. Their success came not from any single tactic but from a comprehensive approach that addressed each challenge with specific, targeted solutions.