Independence Day of Ukraine 2022 in Portugal — During the First Year of the Full-Scale War

In this photograph, I am participating in the Ukrainian Independence Day march in Portugal in 2022.

It was Independence Day during the first year of the full-scale war.

On August 24, 2022, Ukraine marked its independence while defending its very right to exist. For many of us, this day became not only a national holiday but also an act of inner resilience.

I am holding a sign that reads “Stand with Ukraine.”

It is not just a slogan. It is a call. A reminder that freedom requires solidarity.

Even while being in Portugal, thousands of kilometers away from home, we remain part of Ukraine — its history, its memory, and its struggle.