Ukraine Independence Day, 24th August

On Thursday, 24th August, on the 32nd anniversary of Ukraine’s declaration of independence in 1991, the people of Woodbridge came together with Ukrainian residents of the town and surrounding villages to raise the Ukrainian flag in the town’s Elmhurst Park.

Deputy Mayor, Sharon Miller, praised the Ukrainian community for their bravery and resilience in the face of war and thanked local hosts and volunteers for their generosity of spirit. 

Irina Tulovska, who came here from Kiev just over a year ago, made a very moving but defiant speech. She remembers  standing with her baby in her arms the day that independence was declared in 1991 and feeling fearful of the future. Her grandfather had told her that war was the worst possible thing that could happen to any country – and how right he was.

The short ceremony ended with an emotional rendering of the Ukrainian national anthem and a picnic in the park

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