More than 10,000 Ukrainians and supporters of Ukraine from around the world marked Ukraine’s Unity Day, celebrated on Jan. 22, by posting photos of themselves holding signs reading “United Ukraine.”
The photo-posting flash mob started on Jan. 10. Thousands of people posted their photos on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram under #UnitedUkraine hashtag.
“People from more than 50 countries located on four continents took part this year,” flash mob coordinator Oleksiy Zakharchenko told the Kyiv Post. “And they were not only Ukrainian diaspora members, but also foreigners and famous politicians.”
Ohio Governor John Kasich, U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, and European Parliament member Anna Maria Corazza Bildt were among the people who posted their photos to support Ukraine’s unity.
Ukrainians from 214 cities and towns including the war-torn Donbas and the annexed Crimea peninsula participated in the flash mob and posted photos. Last year, according to Zakharchenko, only 117 cities participated in the same flash mob.
“Some Crimeans covered their faces because they were scared,” said Zakharchenko.
Ukraine marks the Unity Day as the anniversary of the reunion of Ukrainian People’s Republic and Western Ukrainian People’s Republic through signing the Treaty of Unity (Act Zluky) in 1919. Before that, Ukraine was divided between Russian and Polish empires.
European parliamentarian Anna Maria Corazza Bildt participates in the Unity Day flash mob.
The staff of the Ukrainian Embassy in Cuba poses with their children.
Hungarian Parliament lawmaker Yaroslava Khortyani supports Ukraine’s unity.
Ukrainians living in Argentina posted several Unity Day photos.
Said Ismagilov, Mufti and the Head of Umma, a center of Ukrainian Muslims, calls for unity.
U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur supports Unity Day flash mob.
Ohio Governor John Kasich supports the Unity Day flash mob.
