Prince Albert’s Ukrainian residents will gather at Memorial Square on Saturday to celebrate the country’s Independence Day.
Kayleigh Skomorowski, one of the event organizers, said the gathering will be an important one for residents who were forced to leave the country after the Russian invasion. She said it will also be important for residents born and raised in Canada who have Ukrainian ancestry.
“While we live in Saskatchewan, a good percentage of the people that live in this province do have some Ukrainian heritage,” Skomorowski said. “We have a growing Ukrainian population with the increased Russian aggression in Ukraiane, and so Ukraine’s independence, continuation and cultural prominence are important to a lot of people in the community.”
Residents will gather at noon to begin the day’s activities. The list of Independence Day events includes musical performances, a poetry display, and an appearance by the Barveenok Ukrainian Dancers.
Although the war in Ukraine still rages, Skomorowski is hopeful for a peaceful resolution.
“We all believe that Ukraine will be victorious as Ukraine has sustained itself under past aggressors and it will sustain itself,” she said. “How long that will take we are not sure. Of course we are hoping for a quick and swift end to this violence but its hard to say,” Skomorowski said. “We are hopeful that Ukraine will prevail.”
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