Since mid-January 2022, supporters of Ukraine have been gathering every Sunday at Balboa Park for weekly rallies, calling on the world to Stand With Ukraine against Russian aggression. After the full-scale invasion began, many of us made a commitment – to ourselves and to the community – that we would continue to gather every weekend until Ukraine is once again free, peaceful, and independent.

Since the start of the war, tens of thousands have been killed, hundreds of thousands injured, and millions displaced from their homes. Today, Ukraine faces the harsh reality of scheduled blackouts, as its energy infrastructure is systematically targeted and destroyed. These attacks aim to intimidate the Ukrainian people, coerce the government into submission, and trigger a new wave of refugee migration to Western Europe.

Despite widespread fatigue, this remains the largest war in Europe since World War II – a war marked by genocide against Ukrainians, countless war crimes, and the devastation of an entire nation’s infrastructure. It affects not just Ukraine but the world as a whole. Ukraine’s role on the global stage is crucial, and we must continue to bring attention to this ongoing crisis.

Our weekly rally is a call to action – a reminder that the war in Ukraine is not over. Join us in raising awareness, supporting Ukraine, and standing in solidarity.

Together, we stand. Together, we resist. Together, we prevail.