Five Red Viburnum as a Gift in Support of Ukraine

Prague 6 received a gift from Ukrainian citizens in the form of five red viburnum.

The flowers serve as a thank you for accommodation, help, and support during the ongoing war.

Mayor Ondřej Kolář (TOP 09) took over the planting of the trees together with the Ukrainian ambassador Yevhen Perebyjnis. Ukrainian
women, who found asylum in the city district, accompanied the ceremony by singing the folk song Red Viburnum.

Mayor Ondřej Kolář wished for the bushes to take root–thus far, they are doing well. He also hopes that they will find the right home in the territory of Prague 6, just like many people from Ukraine before them.

The song is sad but optimistic and has become a symbol of Ukrainian pride and resistance during the war with Russia.

The song Red Viburnum served as the anthem of the Ukrainian Voluntary Legion during World War I. There are several versions of this folk
song with original adaptations. There are also many theories about who its original author is.

It is most often attributed to Mikhail Hajvoronsky, but modern musicologists are unsure about its true origins.

“The red viburnum has been a symbol of Ukraine for centuries and nowadays also a symbol of the Ukrainian resistance. This beautiful song is sad and at the same time optimistic, it says that even though Ukraine is going through a difficult period, it will continue to exist. I am convinced that we will win the war that Russia has waged because we have a brave army and friends all over the world who stand behind us,” said the Ambassador of Ukraine Yevhen Perebyjnis.

The song gained international acclaim in March 2022, when it was recorded in a cappella version by Andrij Chlyvňuk from the band Boombox during a tour of the USA.

The remix of the South African musician The Kiffness has also become popular. Figure skaters Olexandra Nazarova and Maxim Nikitin also performed with her at the 2022 World Championships as part of the protest against the invasion.

The red viburnums now will serve as a reminder for all the Czech goodwill during these difficult times, as well as of home for Ukrainian refugees who may stay for many months in the Czech Republic.