2024-02-22 20:36:32
A few hundred people came together for a sea of lights from Caritas on Stephansplatz in Vienna to show solidarity with Ukraine. “The faster Ukraine is helped, the faster we can prevail,” said the Ukrainian ambassador.
With a sea of lights on Vienna’s Stephansplatz on Thursday evening, Caritas pointed out the need for further support for Ukraine. At the same time, war fatigue was warned. It is difficult to say how many people attended the event due to the fluctuation. A rough estimate by police officers put the number at 300.
“There is now a lot of talk regarding war weariness,” lamented Alexander Bodmann, Vice President of Caritas Austria. “At the same time, there is a lot of positive energy among our employees to support the people who have fled within Ukraine.” More than four million people have been supported so far, and over 250,000 children are constantly being supported by Caritas organizations in Ukraine accompanied, reported Bodmann.
On the second anniversary of the attack on Ukraine, Caritas remembers the plight of millions of children during the war in Ukraine with ,000 candles on Stephansplatz. Imago / Andreas Stroh 
Ambassador Khymynets: “Putin wants to ruin freedom”
The Ukrainian ambassador to Austria, Vasyl Khymynets, thanked the “Friends in Austria” for their support. However, Caritas has been helping not just for two years, but for ten, when pro-Russian separatists began a violent uprising in eastern Ukraine. “The faster Ukraine is helped, the faster we can prevail,” said Khymynets. With a longer delay, however, Ukraine would have to pay a higher price, and “the aggressor will feel vindicated,” he said in the direction of Russia. “It would be naive to say that Putin wants peace. He wants to ruin freedom.”
“There is a good groundwater level of charity and solidarity,” says Michael Landau, President of Caritas Europa. “When I say that the help is arriving, what I mean is that children experience a moment of carefree childhood in the midst of war; Then that means that old people feel that they are not forgotten.” The “strength of the law” should not give way to the “law of the strongest”. “My appeal is – also to those politically responsible – to continue to support Ukraine.”
Caritas manager reports exhaustion among the population
The last trip to date for Program Manager International Programs Caritas Austria, Eva Czermak, was the most depressing for her. “You notice the exhaustion in the population and also among the employees (of Caritas, note),” stated Czermak. Pensioners would have to decide “whether they heat, eat or buy medicine”. Firewood deliveries, for example, provide a glimmer of hope.
On the edge of the sea of lights and through the mediation of Caritas, the APA spoke to two refugees. Both have been in Austria for around two years now. One of the two people spoke, sometimes with tears in his eyes. “I pay for everything myself,” said the woman, who has had a job for eight months. “I am very happy that I live here in Austria and can work and live in peace. I’m grateful for the support from the people here.”
Fleeing the war: “Grateful every day”
The second person reported similar experiences. “I am grateful every day,” said the man who decided to flee when the war broke out. He came to Austria via Poland. “I really like it here. I met friendly people. In my opinion, you have to integrate here as quickly as possible and give something back.” He speaks German because he comes from western Ukraine and it was once Austrian, the man said with a smile.
The sea of lights was made up of 5,000 candles, the outlet in the middle of which was in the shape of a heart. Within this heart was the stage. (APA)
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