The Diplomat
On 24 February, in support of Ukraine, the Ukrainian flag was raised in the Spanish city of Palma, a commemorative procession was held and a military-themed exhibition was inaugurated. These events, which coincide with the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, were organised with the support of the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine in the Balearic Islands. Representatives of the local authorities, the Ukrainian community and Spanish residents came to honour the memory of the victims and express their support for Ukraine.
‘This day reminds the whole world of the resilience and indomitability of the Ukrainian people. Thousands of brave Ukrainians died and today we honour their memory. Because of the war, more than 150,000 Ukrainian refugees have been forced to come to Spain, and the Spanish have given them considerable support. At the same time, Ukrainians continue to fight for freedom: many of them are volunteers and help our military,’ declared Volodymyr Nosov, Honorary Consul of Ukraine in the Balearic Islands.
One of the organisers of the celebration was the organisation Amar Ukraine. It brings together Ukrainians in Spain and is actively involved in humanitarian and volunteer activities.
‘Our work consists not only in welcoming displaced families, but also in integrating them into Mallorcan society. To this end, we organise activities in which the neighbourhood can participate, either as visitors to the facilities (open day) or by attending workshops on Ukrainian culture. All these activities, including the accommodation we manage, would not be possible without the support of the various public administrations in the form of subsidies’, – declared Anastasia Kvach, head of the Amar Ucraïna Mutual Aid Association.
In addition to the official celebrations, Volodymyr Nosov held a series of working meetings with representatives of the local authorities on the day. In particular, he spoke with the advisor on presidential and public administration affairs, Antònia Maria Estarellas, and the director general of institutional and parliamentary relations, Xesca Ramis. At the town hall, Volodymyr Nosov met with the Director General for Interculturality and the Elderly, Ángeles Dueñas, and the regional coordinator Pedro Miró.
In addition, the Honorary Consul also met with the President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Balearic Islands, Eduardo Soriano Torres.
They discussed issues of support for Ukraine, the development of economic relations between Ukraine and Spain, as well as future cooperation in the cultural, social and humanitarian fields.
