More than one hundred people gathered outside the Utah State Capitol on Feb. 25 for a rally to support Ukraine, one year after Russia first invaded the country.
The Utah Ukrainian Association was one of several groups to organize the event. Participants started off with cheers and chants following 365 seconds of silence.
Speakers at the event said more than 40 other cities across North America were hosting similar rallies for support. Participants at the rally wore yellow and blue, waved flags and posters, and were singing and cheering — all in support of Ukraine.
Diana Huth, a Ukrainian woman at the rally, asked Utahns to keep supporting Ukraine.
“Stay strong, stay with us, please remember that it’s still going on, and together we will win,” Huth said. “The sooner we achieve victory, the sooner we can start rebuilding and becoming stronger and a better world again.”
Two spokespeople for Utah Gov. Cox read a statement designating February 24, 2023 as Peace for Ukraine Day in Utah.
Several performers, including Broadway performer Dallyn Vail Bayles, performed songs in between speeches. Volunteers from several local Utah organizations shared how they have helped support Ukrainians — and how they have seen the difference the help has made.
Jessica Kendrick, Assistant Developmental Director at Lifting Hands International, was one of several people to speak at the rally about how certain humanitarian organizations have helped provide support for refugees.
“We see every day the power of compassion and making connections around the world, where we watch these things on our news feed that break our hearts, and there’s a way that you can help,” Kendrick said. “That’s what our job at Lifting Hands International is — to help make that easy and to show you how you can make a difference and help refugees who have lost everything.”
Other humanitarian groups such as Wrap the World with Quilts and August Mission, shared how they have helped feed and re-home refugees.
The Utah Ukrainian Association and other groups have been offering aid to those affected by the war since last year, including a similar rally for support in 2022.