Life in One Suitcase: Mission of Innocents’ Edinburgh Fringe Festival Debut

Mission of Innocents had the honor of making its Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut with Life in One Suitcase, performed on 15 August 2025 at the Pleasance EICC.

This moving, 60-minute performance was created and performed by Ukrainian children and adults who resettled in Scotland in 2022. Through music, dance, and storytelling, they shared their lived experiences of being forced to leave home with only a suitcase—unsure if or when they might return.

The performance followed their journey to Scotland, where they sought safety and began the difficult task of rebuilding their lives.

At the heart of the performance stood a suitcase—simple, yet deeply symbolic. Inside every suitcase is a life, filled with memories, dreams, and courage. Through their artistry, the performers brought this symbol to life, capturing the pain of separation, the resilience of starting over, and the enduring hope of tomorrow.

To witness this story unfold on stage—and to see the audience so visibly moved—was profoundly humbling.

For Mission of Innocents, Life in One Suitcase was more than art—it was a reminder of the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable loss, and a testament to the healing power of creativity.