As long as sunflowers take root in Ukrainian soil, so should the Ukrainian people.
On the day of the Russian invasion, a Ukrainian woman approached enemy soldiers. She gave the men a handful of sunflower seeds, instructing them to put the seeds in their pockets so at least sunflowers will grow there when they die.
This bold move is indicative of the unyielding Ukrainian spirit, as well as Ukraine’s deep connection to sunflowers. “Soniashnyk” in Ukrainian, the sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine. They were brought to the country in the mid-18th century from North America and eventually grew to be a vital part of the Ukrainian economy and symbol for its people.
The Ukrainian sunflower typically represents peace, happiness, and hope.
The sunflower was chosen as the symbol for this campaign because of its growing popularity as a global indicator of resistance and solidarity for the Ukrainian people following the Russian invasion. All around the world, people are adorning, embroidering, illustrating, and even planting sunflowers as a show of support for Ukraine.
Be a beacon of hope for Ukraine by participating in Ukraine’s National Day of Unity Sunday, January 22. Post a sunflower to social media using #UnifyUkraine. Together our light will shine for those who need it, now more than ever.
