Organized by the Ukrainian community of Coimbra, with the support of the City Council, the event takes place on Saturday, the date marking Ukraine’s Independence, with activities from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
Titled “The Heart of Ukraine in Coimbra,” the initiative features a program showcasing Ukrainian culture, including traditional food, crafts, and artistic performances, as well as tattoos, workshops, and a children’s area.
“It will be a bittersweet event because we want to celebrate, but we also can’t dance and be very happy when we have the situation we have in Ukraine, with Russia’s ongoing war, so we will have reminders of the war,” said Ukrainian activist and representative of the Ukrainian community in Coimbra, Olga Filipova, during the event’s presentation conference.
The program includes a photo exhibition of a Ukrainian poet and soldier killed in combat, a documentary about the first days of the war, and an immersive experience with siren sounds and the recreation of air raid situations.
Although the initiative takes place throughout the day, the official opening is scheduled for 3:30 PM, with the presence of the Mayor of Coimbra and representatives from the Ukrainian Embassy in Portugal.
“We will also have ‘protest art,’ a space where we will bring all the posters we take to our protests,” added Olga Filipova.
The Mayor of Coimbra, José Manuel Silva, greeted the Ukrainians “who are suffering the aggression of a fascist and imperialist dictator, who thinks he can invade other countries with impunity.”
“I would like to thank Ukraine for defending freedom and democracy in Europe, at the cost of its own territory, which is being destroyed, and its own lives,” he added.
The mayor also argued that Ukraine “deserves more help from the West” and that “Russian imperialism” must be stopped, or else “it will continue until it reaches the Atlantic.”
José Manuel Silva called for everyone to participate in Saturday’s event, which has free admission.
Part of the funds raised during the event will be allocated to the Ukrainian Association VeraCausa, based in Coimbra, which supports Ukrainian refugees, makes donations to the Ukrainian army, and helps in the reconstruction of destroyed areas in the country.
