Saturday 24 February 2024 marks two years since Russia launched a brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. To show support for Ukraine, the exhibition “Urhea Ukraina” (brave Ukraine) will open at Art House Turku on the eve of the anniversary. On April 3–24 the reading drama "Bunker Kiev" will be performed at Art House Turku. The City of Turku has supported Ukraine since the beginning of the war, both financially and with donations of goods and materials.
Turku Library Bridge will be illuminated in the colours of the Ukrainian flag on Saturday 24 February from 7.30pm. Before that, the lighting will be in Estonian colours to commemorate that country's Independence Day. Logomo Bridge will also be illuminated in Ukrainian colours on the same day.
The Ukrainians of Finland association, the Turku for Ukraine group and the Orthodox Parish of Turku are organising an event for Ukraine on the anniversary of the war on 24 February at 5.00pm at Turku Market Square and in Turku Orthodox Church. This will include lighting candles in memory of the victims of Russia's war of aggression.
– Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine has been going on for two years. We must not forget that this is ultimately a war for all of us in which Ukrainians continue to fight for the security and future of the whole of Europe. That is why support for Ukraine must continue by all possible means. It is also important to continue to safeguard the daily lives of Ukrainians who are fleeing the war in Finland and in Turku," says Minna Arve, Mayor of Turku.
The Urhea Ukraina photo exhibition will be open daily from 23 February to 3 March, 11am–6pm. The aim of the exhibition is to show that the fight in Ukraine is a fight for the security of Europe as a whole. The photos in the exhibition are from a war zone and may shock you. A voluntary admission fee will help Ukrainians affected by the war. More information on the Urhea Ukraina photo exhibition: https://taiteentalo.fi/en/events/brave-ukraine/
On April 3–24, Art House Turku together with Turku City Theatre and Åbo Svenska Teater, will produce the reading drama Bunker Kiev, written by Tony Award-winning playwright Stefano Massini. The performances will take place in a bomb shelter.
Art House Turku: https://taiteentalo.fi/en/
The City of Turku has strongly supported Ukraine ever since the war began, both financially through the Finnish Red Cross and through campaigns. Since the beginning of the war, Ukrainians arriving in Turku have been provided with emergency accommodation, acute social services, psychological support, education and early childhood education and care.
In 2022 before Christmas, the aid effort organised by the City of Turku to help the residents of its twin town Kharkiv brought in large amounts of electric and heating equipment to be delivered to Ukraine. Last Christmas, Turun Kaupunkiliikenne Oy donated two decommissioned buses to Kharkiv. The buses were packed with aid supplies collected by the Ukrainians of Finland association as well as winter football equipment donated by FC Inter and its partners to enable children's and young people's football practice.
The employees of the City of Turku have also organised collections for donations of goods and materials to help Turku's twin city of Kharkiv, most recently for Valentine's Day on 14 February 2024. The initiative for the collections has come from the Urban Environment Division.
Library Bridge has been illuminated with the colours of the Ukrainian flag since 24 February 2022 and will continue to be illuminated whenever no other thematic lighting is on. Turku also flies the Ukrainian flags on the Läntinen Rantakatu street 24 hours a day.
More information on what Turku is doing to help Ukraine (in Finnish): https://www.turku.fi/apu-ja-tuki-ukrainalle
Further information:
Brave Ukraine (Urhea Ukraina) photo exhibition
Koko: 6,43 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 3498x3468Brave Ukraine (Urhea Ukraina) photo exhibition
Koko: 6,43 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 3498x3468© Koodiviidakko Oy - Y-tunnus 1939962-1