Several thousand people attended the gathering “Without you, there’s no victory!” Friday morning on 24th February at the Monument of Freedom to demonstrate common cause with the people of Ukraine, to express their support to Ukraine and to condemn the illicit and aggressive war pursued by Russia. 

The gathering was moderated by radio broadcasting personality Magnuss Eriņš and research journalist Olga Dragiļeva. The participants were addressed by people who have devoted the past year to the provision of help and support to Ukraine: founder of Twitter Escort Reinis Pozņaks and pianist Andrejs Osokins who has implemented the project “Warm food for Ukrainian soldiers” in collaboration with likeminded people. These were follows by a video address from Volodimir Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, and Marii Zenkova, a Ukrainian artist who presently stays in Latvia. Participants of the gathering were also addressed by Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, and in video format also by Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, ex-President of the state of Latvia.

The artists Emīls Kivlenieks and Kārlis Kazāks participated at the event as well as Evgenija Nasonova and Anastasija Jacenko, singers from Ukraine who currently live in Latvia. 

Record of the event is available here. 

The event was organized by the Civic Alliance Latvia in collaboration with likeminded people including the associations “Gribu palīdzēt bēgļiem”, the European Movement – Latvia, the Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation and others. Events in support of Ukraine will continue till the end of February.