Next Saturday for the third time, Ukraine celebrates its independence while fighting bravely for its independence in a brutal war of aggression started by Russia. Though the war spreads terror in Europe, we must not let hope and light fade. As the war wages on and human suffering increases, our steady support and strong coverage of the Ukrainian effort are even more important to Ukrainians than before.

Show your support

We invite citizens of all ages together with their families and friends to Senate Square for Ukraine’s Independence Day event on Saturday, August 24th. Come sing with us for Ukraine’s independence! We encourage you to bring along a sunflower, the national flower of Ukraine. They are currently in bloom, and citizens are allowed to pick them from several fields around the capital region. Sunflowers will also be handed out on Senate Square on Saturday. If they wish, the audience may also support Ukraine by donating to Finnish Church Aid and Ukrainian Association in Finland.

The UNITED FOR UKRAINE event begins on Senate Square at 1pm. The event is hosted by Justas Stasevskij, a foreign correspondent of Ukrainian descent. The programme consists of performances from choirs and soloists in Finnish and Ukrainian. Together, the performers and audience will sing the Ukrainian folk song Pisnia pro krynytsi (Finnish: Hiljainen tienoo) and the Finlandia Hymn.

UNITED FOR UKRAINE programme

1pm Opening remarks by host Justas Stasevskij

Greeting from the Finnish Parliament by Jussi Halla-aho, Speaker of the Finnish Parliament

Greeting from the Finnish Government by Kai Mykkänen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change

The Ukrainian National Anthem and the song Oi u luzi tšervona kalyna performed by Perspiv, Kalyna and Children’s Choir Yasni, choirs from the Ukrainian Association in Finland

Pisnia pro krynytsi/Hiljainen tienoo performed by Sofiia Yakovyshyna and Outi Lehtonen. After their performance, Hiljainen tienoo (three verses) will be sung together in Finnish.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Finland Olga Dibrova’s greeting to Finns and Ukrainians fleeing the war

Finlandia Hymn performed by Cantores Minores choir

Thank you message from the organisers by Juhana Vartiainen, Mayor of Helsinki

1.30 pm Finlandia Hymn sung together .

At the end of the event, the bells of the Cathedral will ring out for two minutes.

Participate in an ecumenical devotional or evening mass

After the event at 2pm, the Orthodox Parish of Helsinki, the Catholic Church in Finland and the Lutheran Church in Helsinki will hold an ecumenical devotional in Finnish and Ukrainian in the Holy Trinity Church located behind the Cathedral. Additionally, there is an evening mass of peace in the Cathedral at 6pm.

This event is organised by the Lutheran Church in Helsinki, Mothersforpeace ry, and the Ukrainian Association in Finland in cooperation with the City of Helsinki, Helsinki University, the Finnish Government, and the Embassy of Ukraine.