Ukraine: Day of Dignity and Freedom commemorations November 21

Event

Ukraine will celebrate the Day of Dignity and Freedom on Thursday, November 21, to mark the start of the 2013 Maidan protests. Commemorative events will be held throughout the country, including in Kyiv and Lviv. A memorial for the Heavenly Hundred (protesters who were killed by security forces during the Maidan) will be held at the chapel on the Alley of Heavenly Hundred Heroes, although organizers did not immediately announce a start time. In Lviv, a ceremony honoring the Heavenly Hundred will start at 08:30 (local time) at the Lychakiv Cemetery, followed by a lamp lighting at 14:00 on Zamkova Street. Associated events are expected to take place in cities throughout the country.

A heightened police presence and localized traffic disruptions are anticipated around all commemorative events.

Context

The Day of Dignity and Freedom was declared a national holiday in 2014 to replace “Freedom Day”, which celebrated the 2004 Orange Revolution that brought former-President Viktor Yanukovych to power.

Advice

Individuals in Ukraine, particularly in Kyiv, are advised to keep abreast of the situation, anticipate a heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions, and avoid discussing sensitive political topics in public.