In downtown Chicago, Ukrainian-American veterans raised the blue-and-yellow flag to mark the proclamation of August as Ukraine Month, announced Maria Klimchak, representative of the Ukrainian community in the United States, Program Director at Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America.
“We witnessed a historic event! In solidarity with Ukraine and Ukrainians in America, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson declared August as Ukraine Month in Chicago! This was announced from the stage at the city’s main square, Daley Plaza, by the mayor’s assistant,” Klimchak wrote.
Ukraine has become a symbol of freedom and democracy for the entire world, said Brandon Johnson. “Their brave citizens fight to protect their sovereignty from Putin’s War of Aggression Against Ukraine,” the proclamation states.
WATCH LIVE: Mayor Brandon Johnson attends the Ukrainian Flag Raising Ceremony. https://t.co/tqRAkb97iT
— City of Chicago (@chicago) August 1, 2024
Kyiv and Chicago have been sister cities since 1991, and the Ukrainian community in the US has made “significant contributions to the cultural, economic, and social fabric of our city, enriching our neighborhoods and fostering a spirit of unity and diversity,” the text states.
The ceremony was attended by representatives of Chicago accredited diplomatic missions, city officials, clergy, Ukraine’s Consul General in Chicago Serhiy Koledov, and numerous guests from the American metropolis, who celebrated the event with considerable applause.
“The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, led by Dr. Mariya Dmytriv-Kapeniak, is the driving force behind all major community events. Behind every event is a story, and in Chicago, it is driven and created by enthusiasts who care about Ukraine’s fate. … The most important thing is that Ukraine is on the agenda. Therefore, all attention is on the people defending freedom in the war against the Russians,” Klimchak wrote.
Photos: Peter Koutun
