[People on the streets of New York, on Times Square on a rally to support Ukraine on second anniversary of russian full-scale invasion on February 24, 2024. Photo: Tetyana Denford]
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I didn’t expect this.
I mean, of course I suspected (“hoped” is closer) there gonna be some events in support of Ukraine on February 24th - but I really haven’t given it much thought.
I guess I was too scared to.
From talking to you, my readers, every day on social media, I knew that people around the world - sometimes very far from Ukraine - remember and about Ukraine and about the war russia started against us.
But I also know all too well how news stop being breaking far too fast and how easy it is to become just another region where it’s just happen to be war all the time.
I also know that “Ukrainian fatigue” is russian propaganda psy op directed towards Ukrainians.
but man, it is working sometimes, especially on a long night of monitoring russian attacks.
And then February 24 came, and I saw this.
[Thousands gathered in Prague on February 24, 2024 to show support for Ukraine. Photo: X/Twitter / milionchvilek]
7 4 6 !
this is in how many cities rallies and events took place in support of Ukraine on Saturday February 24th
In 69 (!) countries there were 1023 (!) events in support of Ukraine, on every continent of the world, including Antarctica, Ukrainska Pravda and Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) reported.
It turned out to be the record-breaking global campaign, Ukrainska Pravda reported. You can check it out yourself on this interactive map created by the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and Ukrainska Pravda where organisers registered their events .
[screenshot of interactive map created by the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and Ukrainska Pravda where organisers could register their events to support Ukraine on February 24]
I decided to ask you, my readers, why you went to such rallies - and received so many answers that now I can talk about it for hours
It makes me so happy to say it.
( you can read more in the comments to my post in Twitter , Threads and Bluesky. And I suggest you do: it really worth it. But be prepared to cry . A lot. )
Here are some of replies I received:
If you feel this story is important to be read - feel free to share it with friends or click the ❤️ so more people can discover it . Thank you.
“I went to rallies in Vilnius to show that support is there,” - Nail Gareyev shared . “Because it's the right thing to do - to help defend against the murderous evil in the ways we can.”
[People gathered in Vilnius on February 24 to support Ukraine. Photo : X/Twitter/ Nail Grejev]
“I support Ukraine because I’m human and antifa. We need to keep the attention of our government on Ukraine and to defeat ruzzia to de-escalate the actual global instability,” ilDav from Italy who went to rally in Milan shared.
[Rally in Milan, Italy, to support Ukraine on February 24, 2024. Photo: ilDav.bsky.social]
“I support Ukraine because my dad was Polish, born in Lviv and my family suffered at the hands of the russians. I attended the massive London rally because I wanted both Ukrainians and russians to see how strongly Ukraine is supported”, Mary Philips shared.
[People gathered in London to support Ukraine on February 24. Photo: X/Twitter/Mary Philips]
“It's a clear case of good versus evil. Of imperialism, colonialism and genocide in action. If we don't stand up against this evil our society has failed. Ukrainians will never give up defending their freedom, know this as my maternal side is from Ukraine. Went to London, UK rally,” Beth Town Fella shared.
[People gathered in London to support Ukraine on February 24. Photo: X/Twitter/Beth Town Fella]
“I guess I just feel strongly that supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do,” aoise who joined rally in Washington D.C. USA shared.
[“Here we all are in DC” , aoise shared. Rally in D.C., USA, to support Ukraine on February 24, 2024. Photo: X/Twitter/ Aoisekat]
“I may not have Ukraine in my DNA, but Ukraine is in my heart”, Tracy sharedtogether with her photo from D.C. rally to support Ukraine on February 24.
[My reader Tracy Blaeuer at D.C. rally to support Ukraine on February 24, 2024. Photo: X/Twitter/ Tracy Blaeuer]
“My home state of Pennsylvania has many Ukrainians that live here . They’re part of my history. I know the heart of Ukrainians and their dedication to family, country, work.. I went to the Washington DC rally both years and will until we are celebrating victory day!” Lauren shared
[Rally in Washington D.C. , USA on February 24 to support Ukraine. Photo: X/Twitter/ laurensaid]
Alfred Wickham, my reader from Australia shared that he joined such rally in Perth, Australia. "The most remote city in the world” he added. When I asked why, he said: “Because all free people, everywhere, must take these massive crimes of russia personally. They are an affront to all of us, all of humanity”, he said in his comment he shared with me.
[rally to support Ukraine in Perth, Australia, on February 24. Photo: X/Twitter/Alfred Wickham]
“I’ve been to Ukraine 4 times, loved it, and made many friends there. It hurts me to see what has been happening the 10 years (my first time in Ukraine in 2012 I was in Donetsk and Crimea), and the last 2 years have really hurt me. Of course I attended” David Thomson from another Australian city of Melbourne shared .
[Rally in support of Ukraine on February 24, 2024 in Melbourne Australia. Photo: X/Twitter/ David Thompson]
Here is some more :
Prague, Czech Republic
[People holding yellow leaflets to construct yellow part of Ukrainian flag in Prague on February 24 on a rally in support of Ukraine. Photo: X/Twitter/fendrych_m]
[Prague. United for Ukraine rally on February 24 to commemorate the anniversary of russian full-scale attack on Ukraine. Photo: Václav Šálek, ČTK]
[President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel joining United for Ukraine rally on February 24 with a speech to support Ukraine. He said West has no choice but to support Ukraine if it doesn’t want Vladimir Putin's vision of the world to prevail", Radio Prague international reported.Photo: Igor Budykin, Radio Prague International]
Bucharest, Romania
[Rally to support Ukraine on February 24 in Bucharest, Romania. Photo: RFI]
[Rally to support Ukraine on February 24 in Bucharest, Romania. Photo: RFI]
Vienna, Austria
[Vienna, Austria on February 24, 2024. Photo: X/Twitter/ Demoguardian]
Barcelona, Spain
[The photos of the anti-fascist and anarchist group of the Ukrainian march (24/02/24) In total, several thousand people participated in the march. Solidarity with the Ukrainian resistance! Solidarity with the ordinary people! We have a common enemy who threatens freedom all over the world! Photo: Instagram/Taxanka_diy]
Stokholm, Sweden
[People gathered in Stockholm on February 24, 2024, to show support for Ukraine. photo X/Twitter / lamatzzi]
Bremen, Germany
[Bremen, Germany on February 24. Photo: X/Twitter/ ShneinderHorn]
Munich, Germany
[Munich, Germany on February 24. Photo: X/Twitter/tamrico2022]
Amsterdam Netherlands
Amsterdam, The Netherldands on February 24. Photo: RubenSibon.bsky.social
London, UK
[London, Febuary 24, Photo : X/Twitter/Olia Hercules]
[London, February 24, Photo : X/Twitter/Olia Hercules]
New York, USA
[New York Empire State Building shining blue and yellow on February 24 to support Ukraine . Photo: joprophoto/IG, shared by X/Twitter/Empire State Building]
Rally in DC (streamed by Andrew Mercado)
Kansas City, USA
[People on rally to support Ukraine in Kansas City, USA. February 24. Courtesy of X/Twitter/ BrianTheFella ]
Vancouver, Canada
[Vancouver, Canada. Photo: X/Twitter/KeithOfTheNorth]
Montreal, Canada
[People on rally to support Ukraine in Montreal, Canada. February 24, 2024. Courtesy of X/Twitter/ ConstanzoBetty]
This is just a fraction of what I received from you. I have so much more of messages like these - your warm feedback, comments, messages, full of kind support and photos that make me smile (and also cry a bit - but those good tears - when seeing Ukrainian flags all around you ) .
I could do this all day - but my post editor in the upper left already shows me that this message is too long for the email you gonna receive.
So that’s gonna be it.
For this post.
But I will tell you this: you made this Ukrainian so very happy.
Diakuiu.