'I had tears in my eyes': Ukrainian Day in the Park provides the chance for newcomers to connect

"Today is a celebration of Ukrainian Culture,” said Olga Bondarenko Secretary, Ukraine Day in the Park organization committee. “We do have quite a few newcomers who came here in the month of March, April May and still arriving.”

According to Bondarenko, roughly 16 per cent of people in Saskatoon have Ukrainian roots making it the most densely populated Ukrainian place in Canada. The day celebrates Ukrainian Independence Day, which was on August 24.

Thousands of people flocked to Rotary Park to take in Ukrainian food, music, dancing and other forms of the culture.

One of those newcomers is Lisa Svitachova from Dnipro.

“When I entered the park the first reaction was a deep breath, and I had tears in my eyes because I felt like there are a lot of people who came for the same reasons,” she said. “It somehow feels like home.”

She fled Ukraine back in May, where she used to teach English. She and her Husband travelled through Poland, a border that took them 30 hours and 70 km to cross. Currently, she is working as a receptionist in Prince Albert.

“We came here to celebrate the Ukrainian Independence Day and that it's so important now, and it’s the bloodiest Independence Day for us today.”

The day also featured a citizenship ceremony for Ukrainians who have earned Canadian Citizenship.

“Definitely becoming a Canadian means a lot to me, I can’t even describe it in words,” said Olha Sharga

As Ukraine fights for its independence, some vendors were trying to raise money for the war. Rostyk Hursky is a part owner of Ukieology, which sells home décor and Ukrainian clothing.