Ukrainian families in Pennsylvania mark 3 years of war against Russia with traditional music at candlelit event
At the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, children lifted their voices in traditional songs for a room where nearly everyone held Ukrainian flags and candles in tribute to those defending their country's freedom.
They're students of the Ukrainian Heritage School in Montgomery County. Since 2022, the number of students has doubled, as hundreds of families from Ukraine displaced by war have found refuge in this tight-knit community.
"A lot of the families that we met don't plan to stay. They don't want to make this their home. They want to go back," Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center President Natalie Firko said. "They're appreciative of what we have here but they want to go back to their home regardless of if it's in shambles."
Three years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, people around the world marked the day with grief and resilience.
Cities held solemn gatherings, honoring lives lost and a nation still fighting.
Honorary Consul of Ukraine to Philadelphia Iryna Mazur said Russian aggression first began in 2014, leading to more than a decade of uncertainty and fear.
"We believe in God. Faith in peace. That's what keeps us going," Mazur said.
And she says Ukraine wouldn't have made it this far without the support of America.
Mazur said she has an "extreme sense of hope that people are not silent, that they're coming out in support of Ukraine."
"And for that I am enormously grateful," Mazur said.
