On January 22, thousands took to social media to share sunflowers.
This vibrant wave of color cut through the winter chill, spreading warmth and reminding Ukrainians that the world has not forgotten them on their National Day of Unity.
Kicking off the call for unity were campaign spokespeople Bethenny Frankel and Maks Chmerkovskiy who appeared on news programs such as Good Day New York and NBC News Daily, as well as Entertainment Tonight and EXTRA to talk about the importance of continuing to support Ukraine. The pair also posted to their Instagram and TikTok channels, asking fans and followers to raise their voices and join the call to end the Russian occupation so the families Ukraine could be reunited and the country made whole again.
“It’s a come-together moment for us just to convey the message that people are suffering and that your neighbors care.”
“Unify Ukraine is an effort to remind people that the war rages on long after the news isn’t talking about it,” Frankel explained to Parade. “It’s not anywhere near over,” noting, “Maks and I are simply messengers to spread awareness.”
As the weekend began, many others joined the rally for Ukraine by posting sunflowers with the hashtag #UnifyUkraine and donating to charities that will help refugees and humanitarian efforts.
Visitors to New York City’s Flatiron Plaza found a gift waiting for them: a large field of sunflowers sprouting from the icy ground. The sunflower is Ukraine’s national flower. Visitors were invited to take photos in front of this Garden of Unity to post on social media, and post they did, with hundreds of garden photos shared using #UnifyUkraine.
Visitors came to the Unify Ukraine Campaign website to explore stories of Ukrainians who have fled their homeland and the Polish neighbors who are helping them. They used the meme generator to create a sunflower which was shared to social media as a ray of light in a dark time.
Responses from Ukrainian people throughout the world were incredibly heartfelt. This event kickstarted international conversations about identity, unity, and resistance to the Russian occupation that has chased Ukrainians from homes and torn apart families. Many took to social media to express their appreciation and thoughts about moving forward.
To Ukrainians: your freedom is yours. Your legacy is yours. Your land is yours.
As we head toward a brighter tomorrow, we see, hear, and honor your right to stand as one nation, one people, and one Ukraine.
