This Saturday, Ukrainian nationals are organizing a major clean-up of the Cinquantenaire park in Brussels. This is a way of expressing their gratitude for the help provided by Belgium, following the hundredth day of war in their country, Ukraine.
Thirty Ukrainians have been cleaning the Parc du Cinquantenaire in Brussels since 11 a.m. this Saturday. “It’s a way to show our gratitude for the help we receive from Belgium and its inhabitants.“, explains Oksana Bulda, one of the initiators of the action. “At the same time, we want to demonstrate that we can do our part here.”
Marina, a Ukrainian refugee, is a psychologist. The 37-year-old woman lived under the bombs in Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city. She arrived in Belgium a month ago. She didn’t think the conflict would drag on. “At first, most Ukrainians did not take the situation seriously. We thought that the war was going to last a few days or a few weeks and that it would be over quickly“, explains Marina. “We also thought that part of the Russian population would react“.
Marina’s brother, a senior army officer, was present during the fighting in Marioupol. “Mon brother actively participates in military operations, but I cannot go into details. My parents left Kharkiv and found refuge in central Ukraine“.
About fifteen people took part in the clean-up operation for the Cinquantenaire to express their gratitude.
“We would like to thank Belgium for its welcome, for the help it has provided to Ukrainian refugees“, specifies Andrei, Ukrainian national.
Aid of all kinds and volunteers have also been sent to the conflict zone and to the borders. “We know that Belgium is a small country, but also that Belgians do a lot to help us“, Selon Oksana Bulda. “We are delighted with the welcome we receive here, as well as the financial and material support provided to our country, and also that volunteers have joined the foreign legion to defend our country. That’s why we want to do our part, and leave your country a little more beautiful behind us.”
“We have planned other actions and have also established contact with associations active in Wallonia. We know that many people were affected last summer by terrible floods and we want to help them in any way we can.“, concludes Oksana Bulda. A rally in memory of the child victims of the war in Ukraine is organized on Saturday evening on the Place du Luxembourg.
Since the start of the conflict, just over 45,000 Ukrainians have found refuge in Belgium, according to the latest statistics. 36% are women like Marina who hopes to return to her country very quickly.