Thousands of people gathered in the centre of Prague yesterday afternoon to commemorate the third anniversary of the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine; the participants filled the whole of Prague’s Old Town Square.
The NGOs who called the rally say it is important that people persevere in their support for the invaded country and remain willing to help.
As well as politicians, the crowd heard the experiences of participants of the war. Actress and singer Jitka Cvancarova presented from the stage the stories of three children who survived the siege of Mariupol.
“For 1,100 days and nights, not a single child out of all the seven and a half million children who have lived on the territory of Ukraine since 24 February 2022 has felt safe,” she said. According to Cvancarova, Russia has already murdered 599 children, while many more have been injured or abducted.
Other stories were retold by singer Milan Peroutka and actor Ivan Trojan. The heads of NGOs and actor Vaclav Vydra also spoke. After the speeches, some attendees took part in a commemorative march to the monument of the prominent Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko on Kinsky Square. Along the way, they chanted “We are together” and “Glory to Ukraine” and lit candles at the statue.
Flags of Ukraine and the European Union were seen at the event. Some came with artificial sunflowers and yellow and blue balloons, some with banners condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin or demanding an increase in defence spending. The bells of the local church rang in support of Ukraine.
The event was organised by Memory of the Nation, People in Need, Million Moments for Democracy, Thank You That We Can and the European Congress of Ukrainians. The President, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Czech Republic, Vasyl Zvarych, and heads of NGOs were among the speakers. Well-known Czech actors told stories of people affected by the war, and there were also musical performances.
Amnesty International and Memorial Ukraine have also prepared an exhibition, “Can You Stop It?”. In the form of a calendar, Ukrainian artists have depicted the tragic stories of children who have been affected by the war.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February 2022. According to statistics from the Ministry of the Interior, 397,400 people from Ukraine had temporary protection in the Czech Republic, as of last Sunday. Of these, 96,800 were children and 17,700 people over 65. Events have and will be held across the Czech Republic in support of Ukraine on the third anniversary of the invasion.
