On April 13, 2025, Ukraine officially opened its exhibition space at EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Japan; instead of a traditional pavilion, it is designed as a store where nothing can be bought. At a time when the country is fighting for its survival, Ukraine showcases values that define a democratic society — values that are “Not For Sale”.
The official opening of EXPO 2025 took place in Osaka with the main theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” More than 160 countries are participating in the exhibition, showcasing their own innovative achievements. Ukraine, despite the ongoing war russia has started, opened the doors of its pavilion “Not For Sale,” presenting its own vision of future values.
“Ukraine’s participation in Expo 2025 in Osaka is a strategic opportunity to show the world our values and resilience. We demonstrate that even in the most difficult conditions, Ukrainians continue to fight, develop, and innovate. For me, this is also an opportunity to showcase our economic potential — to tell the stories of entrepreneurs who, despite war and destruction, are recovering, entering new markets, and impressing the world. Events at Expo 2025 will provide an opportunity to deepen economic cooperation with Japan and our key global partners. We thank Japan for all the support provided, which will allow us to worthily represent ourselves at the biggest global event of the year,” said Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian pavilion is called “Not For Sale,” and shaped like a store where nothing can be bought. There, instead of goods, visitors will find 18 items each symbolizing a human value — freedom, dignity, resilience, and so on. Each object has a real barcode that visitors can scan using special scanners installed throughout the pavilion. Instead of displaying conventional price tags, the screens reveal powerful video stories from Ukraine, metaphorically demonstrating the true cost Ukrainians are paying to defend fundamental rights — education, freedom of choice, medical care, and more.
At the official opening of the pavilion, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine and Commissioner General of Ukraine at EXPO 2025 Tetyana Berezhna explained the main concept of the pavilion, its features, and the ideas that Ukraine brought to this year’s exhibition.
“Expo 2025 marks an important step in amplifying Ukraine’s voice on the world stage. With our pavilion, the ‘Not For Sale Store,’ we are sending a clear message: in a world where nearly everything has a price, some things must remain not for sale. These are the values we live by — freedom, dignity, resilience — and they must be the foundation of future societies. Ukraine stands for these values not in words, but in action — protecting them with our lives, and we want to show this through our pavilion. Despite war and hardship, we continue to create, to build, and to show the world who we truly are”, — Tetyana Berezhna, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine says.
Ukraine’s participation in EXPO 2025 became possible thanks to the government of Japan and the support of Ukrainian businesses. Thus, next to the main pavilion, stands the “Values-Driven Economy” zone. Here, visitors will see artifacts from companies that continue to operate and develop in Ukraine despite the challenges of the full-scale war:
A helmet from DTEK, whose employees restore electricity for millions of people under constant russian shelling; a bullet-riddled Ajax siren that continues to work and protect no matter what; a flask of oil from Ukraine’s largest oil and gas production company UKRNAFTA; and exhibits from agricultural holding Astarta, manufacturer and distributor of household and personal hygiene products Biosphere Corporation, and the leader in inclusive reforms in Ukraine’s financial sector, Oschadbank. Each exhibit tells a story of unbreakable spirit, proving that resilience is not just a word, but the daily reality of Ukrainian entrepreneurs.
The project was also supported by the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine (UNDP), Ukrainian Railways and Caparol.
If you’re wondering what the values of the future look like — Ukraine has brought its answer to EXPO 2025. Come and visit the exhibition in Osaka, Japan which will run for 6 months from April 13 to October 13, 2025. Find more details about the project on the official website of the Ukrainian pavilion and on social media.
