Aug 21

Aug 21 Raising the Ukrainian Flag

Public Declarations, Protest, Performance, Demonstrations

In anticipation of Ukrainian Independence Day on Monday, members of Chicago’s Ukrainian community gathered at noon today in Daley Plaza for the annual raising of the Ukrainian Flag. Ukrainian Independence Day commemorates the day Ukraine that declared its independence from the Soviet Union—August 24, 1991.

The ceremony became a victim of what is best described as a “Wind Out.” The Ukrainian flag looked magnificent as city employees attached the rings to the clips that would hold the yellow and blue flag as it rose high above the crowd below. Unfortunately, as the flag began its ascent, it went limp, like a wet noodle. A strong breeze is a necessary ingredient for a picturesque flag raising. In August, breezes are far and few between in Chicago, which was certainly the case today.

In a sense, today’s ceremony was nothing unusual. Other groups celebrate their national identities with similar flag raising events. The City of Chicago encourages and accommodates such celebrations. If held on a weekday over the noon hour, the city does not charge a facilities fee. Other heritage communities have celebrated their respective heritages with similar ceremonies this year.

For Chicago’s Ukrainians, the event is a particularly solemn one after four and half years of what has become a never-ending war following Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. For evidence of that fact, I only had to look toward the seats in front of the speaker’s platform. Several now disabled Ukrainian soldiers were visible, seated in a place of honor so that the community could acknowledge their valor and sacrifice.

While Chicago Ukrainians may not be on the frontlines, they have stepped up to the plate, bringing wounded war veterans to Chicago for advanced medical treatments. Whether that will continue is open to question given Donald J. Trump’s hatred of foreigners—as if most Americans can’t trace their familial lineage back to a distant land.

I was a little disappointed by the low turnout, but Friday is a workday. Moreover, the waning days of summer, particularly during the two weeks leading up to Labor Day, suit themselves to family vacations. Excluding the performers, only 100 or so people turned out, many filling the seven or eight rows of chairs in front of the stage. On Sunday, the Ukrainians are staging what they term a Unity March in celebration of Ukrainian Independence Day. I expect the turnout will be much larger.

Credit for today’s ceremony goes to Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas who hosted the event. I did not stick around, but following the ceremony, Pappas hosted a reception in the Cook County Office Building adjacent to Daley Plaza afterwards. Pappas’ intent is “to celebrate the heritage, culture and traditions of the 70,00 Ukrainians who call Chicagoland home.”

Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]