“The Eyes of War” is a collective exhibition bringing together photographs by Polish photojournalists who have documented Russia’s war against Ukraine and its consequences for the country and its people. The exhibition features works by Agata Grzybowska, Jędrzej Nowicki, Tomasz Lazar, Marek M. Berezowski, Maciej Stanik, Maciek Nabrdalik and Wojciech Grzędziński.

Their photographs bear witness to a war that has profoundly affected Ukrainian society, while documenting events for audiences around the world. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, photojournalists and reporters have continued to work on the ground, recording both the course of the war and its human consequences.

After being presented in several countries, “The Eyes of War” is now coming to Brussels. A dozen photographs will be exhibited at the Press Club Brussels Europe and the European Parliament. The Brussels presentation of “The Eyes of War” goes beyond the exhibition itself. At a time when Russia’s war against Ukraine is accompanied by an intense information war, the programme will address the growing challenge of disinformation – particularly Russian disinformation – and the crucial role of independent journalism in documenting the conflict, countering false narratives and safeguarding access to reliable information.

These questions will be at the heart of the panel discussion “Truth Under Fire: War Journalism & Disinformation”, bringing together international journalists and photojournalists with experience of covering war zones. It will be followed by the spotlight session “The Gdańsk Experience: Disinformation, Refugee Support and the Ukraine Recovery Conference”, with Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk Monika Chabior. The evening will conclude with a guided tour of “The Eyes of War” led by the exhibition’s curator, Ewa Meissner.

The programme will continue on 2 September at the European Parliament in Brussels with two panel discussions on Russian disinformation, media responsibility and the role of independent journalism and European institutions (invitation only). 

The Polish Institute in Brussels, Press Club Polska and Press Club Brussels Europe invite you to the debate and exhibition opening on 1 September 2026 at the Press Club Brussels Europe.

Guests

Alex Cadier is a journalist, television correspondent and presenter specialising in the European Union, NATO, security, defence and disinformation. He has reported on the war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, political crises in Europe and natural disasters in North Africa. He will moderate the panel discussion.

Monika Chabior is Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk for Social Development and Equal Treatment. A sociologist and social activist, she oversees education, social assistance, cooperation with NGOs and support for social innovation, and coordinates the implementation of horizontal policies, including the “Gdańsk Model for Equal Treatment” and the “Gdańsk Model for the Integration of Immigrants”. She is actively engaged in promoting human rights, social inclusion and the empowerment of groups at risk of exclusion.

Arnaud De Decker is a Belgian photojournalist and international reporter specialising in armed conflicts, migration, the environment and human rights. He has covered events in Ukraine, Mexico, Colombia, Guinea and Morocco, and his work has been published by media outlets such as Al Jazeera, De Standaard, La Libre Belgique and VICE.

Agata Grzybowska is a photographer, photojournalist and video artist. She collaborates with numerous magazines and media platforms, as well as non-governmental organisations in Poland and abroad, while developing her own photographic and film projects. Her work has appeared in Wysokie Obcasy, Duży Format, Vogue Polska, Pismo, Tygodnik Powszechny, Newsweek Polska, Digital Camera Poland, Bloomberg, CNN and Der Spiegel.

Ewa Meissner is a documentary photographer, curator and photo editor. She specialises in developing visual narratives based on documentary and photojournalistic photography, with a particular focus on armed conflicts and human rights. She is the curator of the exhibition “The Eyes of War”.

Magdalena Rigamonti is a journalist, reporter and the author of the texts accompanying the exhibition “The Eyes of War”. She has worked for media outlets such as Newsweek, Wprost and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, and has published several books on conflict and war-related topics. She has been covering social and political issues for many years, and in her writing she explores themes of memory, identity and contemporary challenges to democracy.

Ernest Sagaga is Secretary-General of the ACP (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific)Press Clubs Federation, which works to strengthen independent media, journalistic professionalism and freedom of expression in the ACP region. He is a former BBC journalist, spokesperson for the International Criminal Court in The Hague and an expert on human rights, the protection of journalists and the fight against disinformation.

Jarosław Włodarczyk is a journalist, commentator and lecturer, and Secretary General of the International Association of Press Clubs, an umbrella organisation representing journalists and media professionals across more than 50 countries. He is also a board member of Press Club Polska and the Council of Polish Media. His professional career began prior to 1989 as an editor of the underground press. Following Poland’s transition to democracy, he moved into broadcasting, serving as a journalist, reporter and news anchor for public television news services.

Debate and Exhibition Opening 

Tuesday 1 September 2026
Press Club Brussels Europe
Rue Froissart 95
1040 Brussels

Programme

16:00 | Welcome coffee

16:30 | Panel Discussion: Truth Under Fire: War Journalism & Disinformation
Moderator: Alex Cadier 
Panellists:
Arnaud De Decker (Photojournalist and international reporter)
Agata Grzybowska (Photojournalist)
Magdalena Rigamonti (Journalist, Onet / Press Club Polska)
Ernest Sagaga (Journalist, Secretary-General, ACP Press Clubs Federation / Former Head of Human Rights & Safety, IFJ)
Jarosław Włodarczyk (Journalist, Press Club Polska / Secretary General of the International Association of Press Clubs)

18:00 | Spotlight Session: The Gdańsk Experience: Disinformation, Refugee Support and the Ukraine Recovery Conference
Speaker: Monika Chabior (Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk)

18:30 | “The Eyes of War” Exhibition Opening
Guided tour led by Ewa Meissner (Exhibition Curator)

Refreshments

Registration is mandatory: bruksela@instytutpolski.pl

Exhibition “The Eyes of War”
by Press Club Polska

Press Club Brussels Europe
Rue Froissart 95
1040 Brussels
1–15 September 2026
Monday to Friday, 08:30–19:30

Free entry by appointment: secretary@pressclub.be