On August 24, 2023, the Independence Day of Ukraine was celebrated on the Castle Square in Warsaw, which was recognized as the largest in the world – we registered more than 30,000 participants. People from all over Ukraine and Poland, united by love and mutual support! 

This year, we wanted to thank the international community for their support, reminding them that the war is ongoing, it is terrible, and that the time to help Ukraine win as soon as possible has come. 

During the event, we listened to speeches by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Andrzej Duda. Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland Vasyl Zvarych greeted the audience from the stage. We honored the memory of the heroes who gave their lives in the fight for Ukraine’s independence. We thanked those who are now fighting for our independence and security with arms in hand. 

For the first time, we presented the „Stand with Ukraine Awards”, an award given by Ukrainian civil society to the Poles who support Ukraine and Ukrainians during the war. The award was given to tennis player Iga Świątek, journalists Sławomir Sierakowski and Karolina Baca-Pogorzelska, Father Mieczysław Puzewicz, philanthropists Omena Mensa and Rafał Brzoska, artist Bartek Kiełbowicz and paramedic Damian Duda. 

The Polish band Taraka premiered the song „They will remember us” (Będą wspominać nas”), the Polish-Ukrainian band Zazula and the former Eurovision finalists, the Ukrainian band Go-A, performed on stage.