Celebrations were also held in Rome yesterday to mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence: this evening, the Colosseum will be illuminated in the colors of the Ukrainian flag—yellow and blue—to mark the occasion. Ukraine’s independence was proclaimed on August 24, 1991, and the date has been a national holiday ever since. The initiative is a symbolic gesture through which Italy renews its solidarity with the Ukrainian people, who are committed to defending their freedom and national sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression, and reaffirms the democratic and peaceful values that bind Ukraine to Europe.
The initiative was promoted by the Ministry of Culture, which, by illuminating the Roman monument, sought to demonstrate its support for Ukraine, including in the area of protecting cultural heritage, which has been severely affected by the war. Culture is thus highlighted as the guardian of memory and identity and, at the same time, as the shared heritage of Europe and the free world.
“Today, the Colosseum is illuminated in the colors of Ukraine,” said Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli. “It is a sign of our solidarity with a people defending their independence, their identity, and their right to shape their own future. Ukraine’s freedom is part of Europe’s freedom: this is why Italy stands by its side, in the name of a just and lasting peace, democracy, and the dignity of peoples.”
On the same day, the Farnesina Palace was also illuminated in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. The Farnesina and the entire Italian diplomatic and consular network around the world thus sought to reaffirm our country’s solidarity with Ukraine and reiterate Italy’s support for its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Italy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes, continues to condemn the Russian aggression and to support the Ukrainian people in defending their freedom and in the pursuit of a just and lasting peace. The illumination of the Farnesina Palace also aims to pay tribute to the memory of the thousands of victims of the war and to demonstrate the solidarity of Italian institutions and the Italian people with the Ukrainians, who for over four years have been defending their independence, freedom, and national identity.
As mentioned, August 24 marks Ukraine’s most important national holiday, Independence Day. The anniversary commemorates the proclamation of independence in 1991 by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, and the subsequent creation of an independent Ukrainian state. That act marked the culmination of the Ukrainian people’s long journey toward autonomy and was based on the Declaration on State Sovereignty adopted on July 16, 1990. Independence was then confirmed by the national referendum held on December 1, 1991.
Thirty-five years after that declaration, Italian institutions have chosen two symbolic locations in the capital to express their solidarity with Ukraine: the Colosseum, one of the most recognizable monuments of Italian and global cultural heritage, and the Palazzo della Farnesina, headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The two light displays are intended to highlight the connection between the defense of Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty, the protection of its cultural identity, and the democratic values shared by Italy and Europe.
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| The Colosseum is lit up in the colors of Ukraine to mark the 35th anniversary of independence |
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