“Prayer for Peace” and Rally at the Hall at 1pm.
Geelong and Melbourne Ukrainians are proud to use the EuroMaidan in Ukraine as their inspiration for the “Weaving Cultures” metaphor at Pako Festa.
Deepak Chopra has said, “Once the fabric of a just society is undone, it takes generations to weave it back together.” And the situation in Ukraine today can be seen as an example of the power of the people attempting to darn the holes in the fabric of its society by fighting for unity, freedom, equality and a fair and just system. As you can see in our parade display, Ukrainians use their unique embroidery styles in blouses, shirts tablecloths and towels. We feel that the time is now to weave the human rights message and repair the damaged fabric of a nation, which has struggled for many years, and generations, for its independence, freedom of speech, freedom of choice and equality.
The word EuroMaidan refers to the revolutionary actions, which have been underway for the past 3 months in Ukraine. The threads that are keeping the Maidan together are the same threads that societies all over the world use to attain and maintain dignity, integrity, honor, betterment and progress.
Some of the mediums, which strengthen these threads, are: religion, music, faith, food, camaraderie, dance, visual arts, color, love, care and respect.
Here in Australia, the freedom of choice and the freedom of speech we are so fortunate to have are woven into the fabric of the Australian way of life. The Geelong Ukrainian community appreciates our Australian multicultural society, which provides us the privilege to display and voice our views freely and without retaliation. Thank you to Pako Festa for giving all of our various cultures, the opportunity to express ourselves creatively with respect and tolerance.
