Two days after organizing an impromptu rally for Ukraine on Thursday, Denys Storozhuk of Kelowna says he’s holding another gathering on Sunday.
The rally will take place in front of city hall in Kelowna at 2 p.m.
Storozhuk said around 70 people attended Thursday’s rally in front of city hall despite short notice that it was happening.
He’s hoping that by giving notice one day ahead, a larger crowd will attend on Sunday afternoon.
“We had more people turn out (Thursday) than I expected,” Storozhuk told Global News on Saturday afternoon. “There was basically no warning of the gathering — same as the attack on Ukraine.
“We had this idea a few hours before (the rally) and I was happy to see so many people come.”
Storozhuk said reasons to attend Sunday’s rally include showing solidarity for Ukraine, and how being present can be comforting for those distressed by Russia’s invasion.
“We want to show to the world and Russia that Kelowna is for Ukraine,” he said.
Storozhuk also said they’re looking to start a fundraiser to help Ukraine.
Elsewhere, in Vernon, a rally was slated to take place at the Ukrainian Orthdodox Church at 4 p.m.
In Vancouver, a solidarity rally on Saturday afternoon drew a large crowd.
Organizer Pavlo Ponikarovskyi, who was raised in Ukraine, said he was still in shock to see images of his hometown of Kyiv under assault.
“They’re bombing the city where I grew up in,” he told Global News.
“For the last eight years it was just living next to the constant threat of war, but we were always just hoping they were not crazy enough to do a full-on invasion.”
— With files from Simon Little
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