On Tuesday, February 24, a monument for Ukraine was officially presented at Clausplein in Eindhoven. The ceremony took place exactly four years after the start of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The monument symbolizes Eindhovens lasting solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the close bond with the Ukrainian community in the city.

The event attracted many attendees, including residents, representatives from both the national and local Ukrainian communities, social and cultural organizations, and council members. Under the leadership of Fulco Treffers, various representatives spoke about the importance of support for Ukraine. Among the speakers were Pavlo Barvinko and Mayor Dijsselbloem, as well as the consul of the Ukrainian embassy, Mr. Volodymyr Hrabovenko, city poet Monique Hendriks, resident Mariia Malinovska, designer Sofiia Bondar, and project coordinator Misha Mazepa.

Mayor Dijsselbloem: Eindhovens support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian community remains strong four years after the major Russian invasion. The commemorative bench at Clausplein by Ukrainian designers Sofiia Bondar and Misha Mazepa is a powerful symbol of this.

Pavlo Barvinko, chairman of the Foundation Ukrainians in Eindhoven: Eindhoven was one of the first cities in the Netherlands to offer support to Ukrainian refugees who arrived here from March 2022. We are grateful for that, as well as for this monument.

Monument as a lasting symbol of connection

The monument, which now has a prominent place at Clausplein, serves as a place of reflection, connection, and meeting. The Ukrainian designers Sofiia Bondar and Misha Mazepa designed the bench based on the so-called Czech hedgehog, an obstacle used to keep hostile tanks out of Kyiv. It refers to the war but especially shows the power of culture in bringing about change. On the bench is a poem by Maksym Kryvtsov, the young Ukrainian poet who died as a soldier in 2024:

«Коли мене запитають, що таке війна, я без роздуму відповім – імена».
When I am asked what war is, I will answer without hesitation - names. 

The bench features a QR code linking to a webpage. In the coming weeks, videos of Ukrainians and Dutch people actively involved in the Ukrainian community in Eindhoven will be posted there. The monument for Ukraine is an initiative of the Foundation Ukrainians in Eindhoven and the municipality of Eindhoven. The monument was made possible by the Narada Foundation.