On 19 March, legendary Ukrainian poet Lina Kostenko marked her 96th birthday – a voice of conscience, truth, and cultural memory for Ukraine and its people around the world.
On this occasion, we share a rare and deeply meaningful message – an epistle addressed specifically to our Ukrainian community in Australia.
In a very special personal message, she reminds us: “Poetry travels between human souls, so distances do not matter.”
Across time, Ukrainians have been forced from their homeland – by empire, by repression, and now once again by russia’s war of aggression. Yet identity, memory, and belonging endure.
Kostenko speaks to the reality of this moment – a time shaped by war, loss, and uncertainty, but also to responsibility: “The main thing now is: that our Motherland endures — and therefore awaits you.”
Her words are a call not only to remember Ukraine, but to actively support its present and future – through love, memory, dignity, and action.
For the Ukrainian community in Australia, this message resonates deeply. Across distance, across generations, the connection to Ukraine remains unbroken: “May this tired but indestructible Angel always illuminate your path to Ukraine.”
On her birthday, we honour a voice that continues to guide, challenge, and unite Ukrainians everywhere.
#LinaKostenko #StandWithUkraine #UkrainianCulture #UkrainianIdentity #AFUO #AustraliaStandsWithUkraine
