Gathering, city-centre march and cultural programme in Parque de las Naciones on Saturday 22 August
The Ukrainian community in Torrevieja will mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence on Saturday 22 August with a public gathering, a walk through the city centre and a cultural evening open to everyone. The day is organised by the Association of Ukrainians of Torrevieja and the Ukrainian school Ridna Mova, with the collaboration of Torrevieja Town Hall.
Key information
- Saturday 22 August, from 17:30 to 22:00
- 17:30 gathering in Plaza de la Constitución
- 18:00 march to Parque de las Naciones
- 18:30 official opening with Mayor Eduardo Dolón
- Almost 11,000 registered Ukrainian residents
- Funds raised will support Ukraine’s Armed Forces
A date that matters on the Costa Blanca
Ukraine officially celebrates Independence Day on 24 August. On that date in 1991 the Ukrainian parliament approved the Act of Declaration of Independence, establishing the country as an independent, democratic and sovereign state. The Torrevieja programme takes place two days earlier, so families, neighbours and visitors can share the commemoration in the heart of the city before the official national date.
Thirty-five years on, the anniversary carries extra weight because of the war and Ukraine’s defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity after the Russian invasion that began in February 2022. The organisers present Saturday as a day of culture, memory and solidarity, not only for Ukrainians but for anyone living on or visiting the Costa Blanca.
How the afternoon will unfold
The programme starts at 17:30 with a civic gathering in Plaza de la Constitución. At 18:00 a march on foot will leave the square, cross the city centre and finish at Parque de las Naciones. From 18:30 a festive concert begins and the prepared spaces open. Activities continue until 22:00.
Mayor Eduardo Dolón, accompanied by the councillor for Coexistence and Integration, Óscar Urtasun, will attend the official opening at 18:30 in Parque de las Naciones. The evening includes musical performances, interactive workshops for children and adults, a market of Ukrainian craftswomen, traditional food and drink, and a solidarity raffle with various prizes. The organisation has said that funds raised during the celebration will go to the needs of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
Torrevieja is today an open, plural and deeply international city, and the Ukrainian community constitutes an essential part of our social reality.
Dolón said the commemoration “allows us to recognise the history, identity and national feeling of the Ukrainian people, but also to value the daily contribution of thousands of Ukrainian citizens to the growth and diversity of Torrevieja.” He added that families, associations, schools, professionals, traders and entrepreneurs take an active part in city life. The mayor invited residents and visitors to join a day that “combines memory, culture, coexistence and solidarity.”
The city’s largest foreign community
The occasion has particular meaning here. Almost 11,000 people of Ukrainian nationality are registered on the municipal census, according to the latest padrón figures cited by the Town Hall. Ukraine is the largest foreign nationality in Torrevieja, ahead of Colombia, Russia, the United Kingdom and Morocco. The community represents almost 10 percent of the registered population and is active in associations, schools, culture, commerce and daily social life.
Ridna Mova and the Association of Ukrainians of Torrevieja run activities throughout the year to keep the language, culture and traditions alive, especially among children and young people born or living in Spain, while encouraging participation in local life. The Town Hall says it has worked with these organisations for years on cultural, educational, humanitarian and solidarity initiatives.
An open invitation
Participation is open to the whole city. For expats and long-stay visitors, Parque de las Naciones is an easy place to join without needing an invitation or a ticket. The march from Plaza de la Constitución is a short, central route rather than a closed ceremony. Food, music and workshops are aimed at neighbours, tourists and the Ukrainian community alike.
The Town Hall says it will continue to accompany the Ukrainian community and support initiatives that favour coexistence, integration and mutual knowledge among residents, regardless of place of birth. Saturday’s programme is the next public expression of that relationship: a gathering at 17:30, a walk at 18:00, an official opening at 18:30, and a shared evening until 22:00.
