8 May – a day of remembrance. But not of silence

Today we mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. For Ukraine this date has special meaning. The Second World War swept across our land twice, touching every family, every town and village. At least eight million Ukrainians died in the war. Ukraine's contribution to the victory over Nazism is indisputable. More than six million Ukrainians fought in the ranks of the Red Army, and hundreds of thousands in resistance movements and Allied forces. Yet today we are once again forced to defend Europe – now from a new form of aggression.

Russia is trying to appropriate the memory of the Second World War, manipulate history and use it to justify its war against Ukraine. It is again carrying out mass killings of civilians, deportations, torture and the bombing of towns and villages. "Never again" has turned into "again".

That is why the Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Estonia is joining the international campaign by Strichka "Never Again? – Again".

From 7 to 12 May we call on Ukrainians all over the world to join rallies, share information with the hashtag #NeverAgainAgain, and sign the petition to the European Parliament calling for the immediate start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

This is not a symbolic gesture. It is about security, responsibility and political will. Ukraine today is not a buffer zone. It is a real shield holding back the Russian army on Europe's eastern border. And as long as Kyiv stands, Tallinn stands too.

On 18 May, during the "Vyshyvanka Unites – Rahvustikand ühendab" festival in Tallinn, the Association will start collecting signatures for the petition in person. We are the official coordinator of this initiative in Estonia. For the petition to the European Parliament to have real impact, we aim to collect 1 MILLION signatures from EU citizens and residents. This is only possible with the active participation of Ukrainians abroad, so we invite everyone to join!

More answers to questions about the Second World War, historical responsibility and the manipulation of memory can be found on the UAQA platform, the campaign's content partner.

Today is not about the past. It is about responsibility for the future. Join us!