Ukraine Independence Day in Birmingham - where to celebrate today

A Birmingham charity is celebrating the Independence Day of Ukraine bringing the community together.

The celebrations will be held today (24 August) in the city centre by Centrala - a centre for Central and Eastern European (CEE) art and artists - in Fazeley Street, Digbeth. The charity is also partnering with the Birmingham City Council to help its bid for Eurovision.

Centrala said that today’s celebration is particularly important to celebrate, but also to remember what Ukrainians are fighting for as the war goes on.

What to expect at the event?

Centrala have invited all Brummies and Ukrainians to come together and celebrate. The day will be about sharing food and drinks and having fun together.

There is a celebration at 6pm in the city centre and you can show your support by bringing the flag of your country to the event. At 7pm, they will gather in Centrala for food, drinks and fun as well as Ukrainian music.

You can bring food to share with the group and the charity wants to have a spread of various foods from different cultures. Operations manager Gosia Weber told BirminghamWorld: “We want people to talk to each other and get to know each other. This is a community-based event and it will be a space for people to celebrate together.”

Where: Unit 4 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley St, Birmingham B5 5RT

What this special day means to Ukrainians in Birmingham?

Operations manager Gosia Weber further told BirminghamWorld: “We were talking to people and got the feedback from Ukrainian people that it would be actually amazing to have a place and have a celebration. This is the moment when it is more important than ever to celebrate together.”

What did Birmingham City Council say?

Birmingham City Council and the NEC Group have come together with community-based partner Centrala today to shine a light on Ukraine’s sixth largest city, Zaporizhzhia has been twinned with Birmingham since 1973, as Birmingham’s efforts to host Eurovision 2023 gather pace.

Weber said the charity is excited to support Birmingham’s Eurovision bid. They hope to have as many Ukrainian communities as possible in the centre of it.

Fundraising for Ukraine

The charity shared a statement on their website saying they watched with alarm and concern as events “unfolded in Ukraine into full scale military invasion.”

Thus, they decided to organise direct action to help with growing numbers of refugees escaping the war. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and their neighbours as they are dealing with this developing crisis. They are taking action to collect funds to help refugees fleeing Ukraine, regardless of their background with emphasis on already marginalised communities.

In Birmingham, they are working with Community Groups to provide access to information, advice and emotional support to those affected and to combat disinformation while tensions remain high. For more information go to: Centrala

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