CULTURE AS THE VOICE OF RESILIENCE
“DAY OF SILENCE” UNITED UKRAINE AND ITALY 🇺🇦 🇮🇹
On 24 February 2026 the international solidarity project “DAY OF SILENCE”, initiated by the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy (CNAUI), took place.
On the 12th anniversary of the start of the war and the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion, culture spoke the language of dignity, memory and unity.
Throughout the day, from 09:00 to 21:00 (Kyiv time), representatives of every region of Ukraine🇺🇦 – from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to Chernihiv region – joined the shared marathon each hour. Every hour became a moment of shared silence, a minute of remembrance and living proof that Ukrainian culture is unbreakable.
🔹 In total, 66 video messages were presented.
🔹 66 voices of the regions.
🔹 66 stories of resilience, identity and a heritage that lives on even amid the sounds of war.
This day became an invisible bridge between Ukraine and the Ukrainian community in Italy. While Ukraine bowed its head in silence, Ukrainians in Italy kept that silence together with it. And out of this shared silence a powerful voice of truth was born 🙏🏻
As the head of the Department of Culture of the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy,
Liudmylka Horbachyk, put it:
“Culture has no address. It cannot be destroyed by missiles, because it lives in every Ukrainian word, in every song and, above all, in our hearts. It is wherever we are. Culture is us.”
We sincerely thank everyone who took part:
🔹 the representatives of the regions
🔹 the organisers and volunteers
🔹 the Ukrainian diaspora in Italy
🔹 our Ukrainian children – our future!
🔹 everyone who watched the broadcasts, joined the minutes of silence or lit a candle of remembrance
“DAY OF SILENCE” has proved that culture cannot be destroyed by physical aggression. It remains alive, strong and united despite the years of war.
Thank you for your unity.
Thank you for your dignity.
Thank you for a shared silence that speaks louder than any words.
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