Remember together: one year of war

The idea for a national memorial gathering came from the Ukrainian organisation Vital'nya in Utrecht. At Vital'nya, refugees from Ukraine have been gathering since 1 April last year to meet, attend classes, cultural events and participate in group discussions and trauma counselling. On 24 Februrary from 11:00 to 17:00, they are organising a special programme to commemorate the war.

Starting at 10:30, 'The Walk of Hope' will be walked prior to the programme. The route follows the route thousands of refugees travelled last year between Utrecht CS and Jaarbeurs Hall 5.

Along the route, you can see and read on columns what the refugees and aid workers went through as they arrived and were received. The walk is for refugees from Ukraine as well as Dutch people.

The motto of the day is 'Remember Together'. The themes of remembering and connecting are central. There will be 25 meeting points symbolising Ukrainian cities and regions on the exhibition floor of Hall 1. These points will be arranged as living rooms.

You can take a journey through Ukraine, meet fellow citizens and regional peers, and see images of the current situation in the country. Speeches will be held on the central stage in the Jaarbeurs between 15:00 and 16:00. Afterwards, there will be performances of Ukrainian music.

The day is not only for the refugees from Ukraine, but also for the Dutch people who have assisted them over the past year. For example, members of the host families, volunteers, aid workers and employees of the security regions and governments. They are welcome to join you at this meeting.

Tickets are free for all refugees from Ukraine. Dutch citizens are asked for a voluntary contribution, starting at 10 euros. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to the organisation of the event.