Today, on Ukraine’s Independence Day, the NAVI fan zone opened at the “Ukraine” Hotel, located at 4 Heroiv Nebesnoi Sotni Street.
We previously reported on the opening of the exhibition and noted that the organizers had not yet revealed exactly what surprises they had in store for fans. Now we can provide more details on what awaits visitors to the fan zone.
At least six of the team’s trophies await NAVI fans. Among them are The International 2011 trophy, the 2024 Copenhagen Major trophy, the IEM Rio trophy, as well as NAVI’s trophy from another Major they won and several other awards. Visitors to the NAVI fan zone will also have the chance to participate in a raffle for official team merchandise.
The trophies will be on display from August 24 through September 6. The fan zone is open daily starting at 10:00 a.m., and admission is free.
The fan zone is one of the initiatives of Maksym Krippa’s ARS Capital ecosystem aimed at developing and promoting Ukrainian esports. The entrepreneur purchased the “Ukraine” Hotel itself in September 2024. The property was privatized following a state auction, and since then, the new owner has been working on its further development.
The hotel is located in the very heart of Kyiv—at 4 Alley of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred. It is a 16-story, four-star complex that was once considered one of the tallest skyscrapers in modern-day Ukraine.
In addition to the hotel, Maksym Krippa owns other well-known assets in the technology and entertainment sectors. These include the esports organization NAVI, the gaming company Burny Games, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. developer GSC Game World, the Maincast studio, and a number of other projects.
How NAVI Promotes Ukraine Through Esports
Today, Ukraine is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its independence. On this very day in 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR adopted the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine, which became one of the key moments in the country’s modern history.
A lot has changed over the past 35 years, including how Ukraine presents itself to the world. Esports has become one such platform—an industry followed by a global audience of millions. For the new generation, it has long been more than just computer competitions; it is a space where they can discuss important issues, shape their own image of the country, and draw attention to events taking place in Ukraine.
NAVI actively leverages this opportunity. Since November 2022, the club has been officially partnering with the state-run fundraising platform UNITED24. As part of this partnership, NAVI and its players contribute to fundraising efforts for medical aid, specifically for ambulances for Ukrainian doctors.
At the same time, NAVI does not limit itself to charitable initiatives. The club regularly reminds its international audience of its Ukrainian origins and the realities in which the team continues to operate. In 2024, in the third episode of the documentary series Level UP, which aired on Amazon Prime, NAVI shared insights into the life of a Ukrainian esports club during a full-scale war.
At the time, the organization emphasized that for many Ukrainians, air raid sirens, shelling, and constant danger have become part of everyday life, while for an international audience, this reality often remains difficult to imagine. NAVI took the opportunity to share this reality with people around the world and stressed that for the club, this issue extends far beyond esports itself.
Today, NAVI players continue to take the international stage flying the Ukrainian flag. Every such match is not only a battle for another trophy but also an opportunity to remind millions of viewers where the team comes from.
In this sense, esports has become yet another way for Ukraine to make its presence felt on the world stage. And while Ukrainian teams compete in the world’s biggest tournaments, they simultaneously serve as representatives of a country that continues to fight for its independence.