Ukrainian Pavilion Debuts at Oslo Design Fair 2025

Resilience, creativity, and identity on display.

From September 1–3, Ukrainian designers brought a powerful presence to the Oslo Design Fair, Norway’s leading design and interior trade show held at NOVA Spektrum in Lillestrøm. For the very first time, Ukraine was represented with a National Pavilion, gathering 11 independent brands and studios from across the country.

The pavilion offered visitors an inspiring glimpse into contemporary Ukrainian furniture, lighting, ceramics, and urban design — creations that are not only functional and aesthetic, but also deeply rooted in local culture, nature, and resilience.

📍 Stand D04-30 became a lively meeting point where design met dialogue.

Highlights from the Program

Official Opening
The National Stand of Ukraine was officially opened on September 1, with speeches by H.E. Oleksiy Gavrysh, Ambassador of Ukraine to Norway; Christian Syse, Special Representative for Ukraine at the Norwegian MFA; Oksana Straz from the Lviv Furniture Cluster; and NUCC Managing Director Kjartan Tveitnes. The opening ceremony included ribbon cutting, live music, and networking with designers.

Panel Discussion: Opportunities for Cooperation
Later that day, the Ukrainian Pavilion took to the Main Stage with a panel discussion on “Ukrainian Design & Production: Opportunities for Cooperation.” The session highlighted not only the creativity of Ukrainian design but also the remarkable resilience of its producers.

• Alla Lisovska from Tivoli shared how, just two weeks after the war began, her company was able to continue exporting orders abroad. Today, Tivoli successfully serves international markets, with 98% of its products exported to 17 countries, while also maintaining a presence in the domestic Ukrainian market. She added that she personally loves Scandinavian interior style, which has become very popular in Ukraine.
  
  
• Oksana Straz, Deputy Head of the Lviv Furniture Cluster, represented Fix Union, a company producing urban street furniture. She explained how they combined business with volunteer efforts to support communities affected by the war. Despite everything, demand for furniture in Ukraine has not collapsed — “people are trying to live normal lives despite the war,” she noted, adding: “The best way to help Ukrainians is to give them jobs.”
  
  
• Truls Moholdt, Participant Engagement Manager at UN Global Compact Norway, confirmed that Ukraine continues to maintain production and delivery capacity: “Everything in Ukraine is working — things are being fixed very quickly after being damaged by the war, normal life continues, and a large part of the country, especially in the west, is possible to visit.”

The panel was a powerful reminder that Ukrainian creativity is not only surviving but actively contributing to international markets.

Other Activities
Over the three days, visitors engaged with Ukrainian designers through panel talks, presentations, and open conversations at the pavilion. Sessions like “Ukrainian Designers’ Life Today” and “Meet the Makers” gave audiences a chance to hear first-hand stories of resilience, innovation, and craftsmanship.

Strengthening Cooperation

The fair also marked an important milestone: NUCC and the Lviv Furniture Cluster signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation between Norway and Ukraine in design, manufacturing, and sustainable development.
👉 Read more about the MoU in our dedicated article here.

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