One year since Russian invasion, rally in support of Ukraine to go ahead in Centenary Square

A rally will take place at Centenary Square in support of Ukraine - which was invaded by Russia a year ago. It will be hosted and organised by community organisation Centrala and Ukrainians in Birmingham.

The rally, which starts today (February 24) at 5pm, will see Ukrainians come together to remember everything that happened during this year. More than 14,000 Ukrainian people are believed to have died since Russia’s full-scale attack began on February 24, 2022.

Many Ukrainians have become refugees and asylym-seekers after being displaced from their homeland. There are about one thousand Ukrainian families (mostly women with children), who fled the war in Ukraine living in Birmingham. More than 160,000 Ukraine Scheme visa-holders have arrived in the UK since the Russian invasion.

Centrala has invited representatives of Birmingham City Council, Public Organisations and volunteers that have helped Ukrainians to restart their lives in Birmingham. They said they want to take this opportunity to give them this recognition for all that they have done, in helping everyone adjust here. During the rally, the memory of those who died in this war will be honoured.

The rememberance event will be hosted by Centrala at their Jewellery Quarter venue at 8pm. Centrala is an Art Space in Birmingham dedicated to promoting Central and Eastern European art and culture and to support migrants integration.

Centrala said in a statement: “Ukrainians will come together to remember everything that happened during this year. The most terrible and the longest year for every Ukrainian. This rally is an opportunity to tell about this terrible war on behalf of those who saw it with their own eyes.”

Those who want to attend the rally have been asked to bring an battery-powered candle or a little touch to light a light.

More information about the rally can be found on Centrala’s Facebook page.