Perth and Kinross came together on Wednesday evening to celebrate and mark Ukrainian Independence Day with a parade and celebration at the North Inch in Perth.
The parade started at the 51st Monument lead by the Perth and District Pipe Band and headed to a tented area with food and entertainment, including dancing, and musical performances. Before the entertainment got underway Perth and Kinross Provost Xander McDade and Organiser Councillor Steven Carr spoke to the crowd, with their speeches translated into Ukrainian.
Speaking after his speech about how important the event is Cllr Carr said: “Its hugely important, it’s not just a case of showing support it’s also an opportunity for Ukrainians to meet up with each other, as you can see here there are a lot of Ukrainians that have attended this event and it lets them see that there not here, there not isolated, they might be in a small village somewhere in Perthshire, but not far away there’s other Ukrainians they can make friendships with. So, I think we’re getting there with achieving what this event was meant to do.”
Cllr Carr went on to add his views on the turn out for the event, saying: “I’m very pleased it’s an excellent turnout, it’s obviously a worry when you put something on like this and especially at short notice.
“I can’t thank the council enough for their support in putting this one, it’s been absolutely fantastic. Everybody that’s a part of today, is at very short notice, went out of their way to provide the entertainment and everything here.
“So’ I’m really pleased. Its looking like a successful event.”
Provost McDade added how impressed he was by the turn out for an event that was held on such short notice saying: “we’re tremendously pleased with how many people have come along.
“It was incredibly short notice to organise it and that so many people have come along at such short notice, in the middle of the week is just fantastic and so many young people, children, refugee children here its fantastic. It’s great to have so many people.”
