Ukrainian Day in the Park returns to the Confluence as community calls for continued support amid war

A celebration of Ukrainian culture and independence took place at the Confluence on Sunday morning as members of Calgary’s Ukrainian community continued to rally for support four years after the war in Ukraine began.

This year’s celebration is important because it falls around the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence on Aug. 24, said president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Calgary Branch Anna Tselukhina.

When the war broke out in 2022, communities across Canada rallied to help Ukraine through fundraisers and Ukrainian communities stepped up to help newcomers who fled the conflict, she said.

Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

Four years later, many of those newcomers have invested back into the community.

“They create different kind of groups, like choir, dance groups or some culture heritage groups that also promote Ukrainian culture,” Tselukhina said. “It’s like a flourishing of Ukrainian culture . . . across Canada.”

Approximately 60,000 Ukrainians have come to Alberta, with 40,000 settling in Calgary, Tselukhina said.

It’s often easier for younger newcomers to adjust and integrate with the community, she said, while seniors require more effort to learn English.

“But we know that around 70, even up to 80 per cent, of Ukrainians are employed and have jobs, pay taxes, and volunteer, so it looks like we are integrating pretty well,” she said.

The congress regularly keeps in contact with local leaders to help solve problems identified by newcomers, while sharing their perspective with the rest of the city, Tselukhina said.