Russia’s War of Aggression: One Year of Unwavering Solidarity from Berlin

One year ago, on February 24, 2022, Russia launched its brutal war of aggression against all of Ukraine. For the past year, Russia’s attack has caused immeasurable suffering as well as thousands of deaths and injuries, forcing millions of people to flee their homes. More than 8 million people have fled Ukraine since February 24, 2022, and 1 million of them have come to Germany. Berlin alone has welcomed nearly 380,000 Ukrainian refugees.

Berlin’s solidarity with Ukraine remains unwavering even one year after Russia began its war of aggression. The German capital will honour the courage and resistance of Ukrainians with two events, reminding us all of the sacrifices the people have had to make for their freedom.

Full-Scale Freedom: Large Demonstration Ending with a Rally by the Brandenburg Gate

On February 24, a large demonstration against the war will take place in Berlin. For this purpose, the Ukrainian organisation Vitsche has called upon people to participate in the demonstration in cooperation with the Center for Liberal Modernity (LibMod) and a broad coalition of civil society groups.

The demonstration will start at 4 pm at Karl-Marx-Allee 34 and move west toward the Brandenburg Gate. After the demonstration arrives at Platz des 18. März, a large rally will start with various speakers.

At 7 pm, Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev will speak together with the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Franziska Giffey. With the support of additional ambassadors, Berlin will send a strong message of solidarity: The German capital stands together with Ukraine.

Starting at 6:30 pm on February 24, the Brandenburg Gate will be illuminated with the colours of the Ukrainian flag for this event, making Berlin’s sign of support visible to the world. Many European partner cities have joined together with this Berlin initiative and will light up their landmarks in blue and yellow. Among them are Warsaw, Prague, London, Budapest, Madrid, Brussels, Paris, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles and New York.

Women in War: Courage and Resistance of Ukrainian Women in the Russian War of Aggression

For the past year, Ukrainian women have been defending their country and lives: as soldiers in the army with the world’s highest proportion of women, as volunteers, activists, experts, intellectuals and managers both in their country and abroad. In war reporting, however, women are often portrayed using traditional victim narratives, and they are also perceived in this light. Women’s resistance and leadership qualities are rarely highlighted. That is why it is easy to forget the strength, resilience and creativity with which Ukrainian women are finding new paths for themselves, their families and Ukrainian society.

The event Women in War will take place on February 22, 2023 from 6 pm to 9 pm at the Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall) in the Festsaal (Hall of Emblems). The evening will begin with a screening of the film “Oh Sister”, setting the tone for the following panel discussion with Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey and four Ukrainian guests active in culture, media, science and civil society. After the panel discussion, a reception will take place at which all participants can openly communicate – for example about the pop-up exhibition by Oleksandra Bienert “I’m not a victim. I’m a survivor”, in which 18 easels display photographs and texts from Ukrainian women who have fled their homes.

In order to participate in the event and the following reception, prior registration is required .

Speakers:

• S.E. Oleksii Makeiev (Ambassador of Ukraine to the Federal Republic of Germany)
• Franziska Giffey (Governing Mayor of Berlin)
• Kateryna Levchenko (Commissioner of the Ukrainian Government for Gender Policy)
• Dr. Tamara Martsenyuk (Professor of Sociology at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy)
• Tetiana Goncharuk (Expert on human rights and researcher on care migration)
• Oleksandra Matviichuk (Lawyer and human rights activits, Nobel Peace Prize laureate)
• Oksana Potapova (Women’s rights and peace activist)