Palma stands in solidarity with the victims of the war in Ukraine

Palma has observed today a minute of silence in solidarity with Ukraine on the anniversary of the beginning of the war. Several citizen rallies have also been held in support of the Ukrainian people

The conflict in Ukraine has left nearly 21,000 civilian casualties among wounded and dead, and the number of people in need of humanitarian aid reached 18 million.

On the anniversary of the beginning of the war after the Russian invasion, The City Council of Palma has kept a minute of silence this Friday in the Plaza de Cort in solidarity with Ukraine. Cort has thus joined the request of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP). They have also participated in the tribute the rest of the islands as well as different municipalities and cities throughout Spain.

Representatives of the Consistory, led by the mayor, José Hila, as well as the president of the Government, Francina Armengol, and other members of the Executive and other institutions have joined the minute of silence.

Palma wanted to express its support and solidarity with the Ukrainian people, with the millions of displaced people and demand the end of the war after the Russian invasion.

Unicef: a horrifying war for Ukrainian children

The past year of war in Ukraine has brought ‘a horrifying toll’ for children in the country, Unicef has denounced. ‘There is no aspect of children’s lives that has not been directly affected,’ adds the UN child protection organization.

According to Unicef, 487 children have been killed and 954 injured. Nearly 800 health facilities and some 2,300 schools and colleges have been damaged or destroyed. 3.2 million children are in need of humanitarian aid in Ukraine and 5.3 million children’s education has been interrupted.

More than 300 people gathered to call for peace

Coinciding with the anniversary of the outbreak of war in Ukraine, more than 300 people – representing the Ukrainian community in Mallorca – have gathered in the Plaza of Spain in Palma to call for an end to the war. Under the slogan, ‘Enough war, we want peace’, the associations Amar Ucraïna, Help Ukraine and Ukrainian Family have expressed their solidarity with the victims of the war in Ukraine. “Putin, murderer!” “Majorca, don’t forget about us” and “No to genocide by the Russian aggressor” have been some of the slogans and shouts of the attendees who have condemned the military invasion.

These associations have conveyed the suffering of women and children – who are the majority of the approximately 3,000 refugees in Mallorca – who have their fathers and husbands fighting in the war. They added that, even if the end of the war were imminent, the refugees would not be able to return because the country is devastated and would have to be rebuilt first.

For its part, Cruz Roja Illes Balears has announced that it has assisted more than 1,500 refugees from Ukraine.