Manitoba’s Ukrainian community gathered Sunday to celebrate the anniversary of Ukraine’s independence and also reflect on the current situation that is happening overseas. On Aug. 24, 1991, Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union was ratified, making 2026 the 35th anniversary of the historical event. Orest Cap, with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), said this recognition is even more important now considering how long the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been going on. “I think it’s important for us not just to come together to commemorate and celebrate the event, but also to remember that Ukraine is going through a very difficult time at this stage,” said Cap. “It’s the fifth year. The city is being bombarded, hospitals are being destroyed (and) children are being kidnapped in Ukraine, so we can’t forget the war crimes that are being committed by Moscow on a regular basis.” While he doesn’t think people have forgotten about what is happening overseas, Cap said events like this give people the opportunity to reflect and come together to continue to help others back in the home country. Among all the festivities and other programming Sunday, organizers are helping raise money to secure more humanitarian aid for Ukraine. “We want to make sure they’re not forgotten,” Cap said. Around 1,000 people attended the celebrations last year and a similar number was anticipated this time around. There are also dozens of volunteers that help make this celebration possible. “This is always the social event for the community to meet new friends or meet old friends and an opportunity basically to exchange information in terms of what is happening in the community, but also what’s happening with families in Ukraine,” Cap said. According to the UCC, there are an estimated 1.4-million people of Ukrainian descent that call Canada home. Manitoba has one of the largest Ukrainian populations in the country.
