Alberta marks Ukrainian Heritage Day with flag-raising

A Ukrainian flag-raising was held in Edmonton on Sept. 6, 2024, to mark Ukrainian Heritage Day. (CTV News)

A ceremony was held on Friday celebrating Ukrainian Canadians in Alberta.

Ukrainian Heritage Day marks the perseverance of Ukrainian pioneers who have made Canada home over the past 130 years.

While the day is officially on Sept. 7, the community celebrated on Friday with music and by raising the Ukrainian flag.

“Today, we can also take pride in the fact that Alberta has always been a welcoming partner and home for those in search of new opportunities, friendly people and a place to put down roots,” said Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, an MLA and Alberta’s parliamentary secretary for settlement services and Ukrainian evacuees.

Armstrong-Homeniuk encouraged Albertans to use the day to express solidarity with Ukraine and celebrate multiculturalism.

“Today is an opportunity for all Albertans of Ukrainian descent to celebrate and share their cultural heritage and build community,” she said.

“Alberta’s diversity is one of the many features that make our province such a great place to live.”

The provincial government created a Ukrainian Canadian Heritage Day in 2016 to celebrate the group’s contribution to Alberta.