National Black Ribbon Day

UCC Supports Black Ribbon Day Commemorations

Toronto - The Central and Eastern European Council of Canada, representing nearly 4 million Canadians of European heritage, has announced locations for National Black Ribbon Day commemorations taking place on August 23, 2013 in cities across Canada.

Ottawa: Friday,August 23, 2013

(***Note: Events at 11:00AM and 7:00PM) 11:00AM Morning Presentation with Tribute to Liberty Site of the future Memorial for the Victims of Communism. Location: Wellington Street, between the Supreme Court

of Canada and 395 Wellington.

7:00PM Evening Commemoration Service: Central and Eastern European Community Reception

M. Royal Galipeau M.P. Ottawa-Orlans. Guest Speaker: Hon. David Kilgour. Location: St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine

952 Green Valley Crescent, Ottawa ON K2C 3K7

CEEC contact: Andris Ķesteris

e-mail: akestr0542@rogers.com

tel: 613 837 4928

Toronto: Friday, August 23, 2013

7:00PM Location: Lithuanian Church of the Resurrection

1 Resurrection Road, Etobicoke, ON M9A 5G1

Contact: joana.kuras@sympatico.ca

Montreal: Friday, August 23, 2013

7:00PM Location: Our Lady Gate of Dawn (Lithuanian) Church

1465 Rue de Seve,  Montreal, QC

Winnipeg: Thursday, August 22, 2013

MLA Melanie Wight will recognize Black Ribbon Day (European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Communism and Nazism) in a Member’s Statement, Friday, August 23, 2013 , 7:00PM Location: St. Andrew Bobola Church

541 Marion St.,  Winnipeg, Manitoba

Edmonton: Friday,August 23, 2013

7:00PM Location: Rotunda of the Legislature Building

Vancouver: (Details will be released as they become available)

In November 2009, a resolution declaring Black Ribbon Day, August 23, an annual Canadian day of remembrance for the victims of Communism and Nazism in Europe was unanimously passed by Canada’s Parliament.

Black Ribbon Day historically commemorates the anniversary of the infamous Molotov- Ribbentrop pact, a sinister partnership treaty between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia that allowed each to violently and illegally seize the lands and peoples situated between them. Twenty-five years ago, Canada’s Central and Eastern European communities, by initiating Black Ribbon Day, were instrumental in bringing international attention and understanding of the plight of their heritage nations. This Canadian initiative organized demonstrations in 21 cities on both sides of the Iron Curtain. In 1989, close to 2 million people formed a human chain across the Baltic republics and by 1991, demonstrations were held in 56 cities on three continents.