The municipality of Panevėžys joins the solidarity initiative "An Hour for Ukraine". Today from 8 P. M. to 9 p. m. the lights will go out in the city center - Laisvės a., Elektros g., part of Respublikos, Klaipėda, Vilniaus g., and the illuminations of the Christmas tree will also be switched off.

"Just after the start of the war in Ukraine, Panevėžys constantly keeps in touch with and supports the partner city Vinnytsia, the citizens of Panevėžys actively participate in various support campaigns - our city's position is clear. It is not an exception this time. At this difficult period, we express our support and solidarity with the citizens of Ukraine, our partner city Vinnytsia. The city's Christmas decorations will be darkened for an hour today. We invite the residents of Panevėžys not to remain indifferent and to support this initiative by switching off the festive lighting in everyone's home for one hour", says Panevėžys City Mayor Rytis Račkauskas.

December 21st is the darkest day of the year. Unfortunately, darkness for Ukraine started in mid-October, when Russia began attacking and shelling the country's civilian energy infrastructure. More than 10 million people will have to survive the winter without electricity, heat and water, with outside temperatures forecast to drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius.

This shared moment of darkness will remind us all how important it is to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and an hour without holiday lights, heat and electricity will allow us to imagine how war-torn Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas this year.

During this year Christmas Ukrainian parliamentarians are asking the whole world to renew their unity with them and symbolically support their country by launching „An Hour for Ukraine" campaign to draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian disaster.