- ‘London stands with Ukraine’ will take place on Saturday 26 March
- Solidarity march will walk from Park Lane at 2pm, with Yoko Ono’s ‘IMAGINE PEACE’ message displayed on Piccadilly Lights
- Vigil will take place in Trafalgar Square from 3-5pm
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan is inviting all those who wish to show solidarity with Ukraine to join together on Saturday 26 March for a march and vigil.
The march and vigil will be an opportunity to send a unified message of support to the Ukrainian people.
‘London stands with Ukraine’ will begin with a solidarity march from Park Lane at 2pm. Yoko Ono’s ‘IMAGINE PEACE’ message, commissioned by CIRCA in collaboration with Serpentine, will be displayed on Piccadilly Lights at Piccadilly Circus, and a vigil will take place in Trafalgar Square from 3-5pm.
It is being organised by the Mayor of London, in partnership with CIRCA and the Yoko Ono ‘Imagine Peace’ project, with support from Landsec, which owns Piccadilly Lights. Anyone wanting to donate to help the victims of conflict will be encouraged to donate to UNCERF.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “For the last few weeks, the world has been in awe at the strength and courage shown by the Ukrainian people in the face of this unprovoked and shocking attack against their country.
“London has a long history of providing sanctuary to those fleeing conflict, and we stand ready to welcome Ukrainian refugees.
“I want to give everyone who wants to show their solidarity a chance to stand together with the people of Ukraine.
“Together we will march and unite in Trafalgar Square to show our support for our friends in Ukraine and call for an urgent end to this atrocity.”
Hanya Dezyk, Board Director of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain said: “We are heartened that Londoners and visitors from across the UK will be joining together in London to send a message of solidarity with the people of Ukraine. It has been incredibly difficult for Ukrainians living in the UK and across the world to see what is happening to our homeland, and the sight of people uniting in the streets in our name gives us hope and strengthens our resolve to fight for Ukraine’s freedom"
Josef O’Connor, Founder & Artistic Director, CIRCA, said: “We’re proud and honoured to commission with Serpentine this global presentation by Yoko Ono - an artist who has consistently campaigned for peace and inspired us all to imagine a better world."
Bettina Korek, Chief Executive Officer and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of Serpentine, said: “We are honoured and humbled by Yoko Ono’s powerful contribution. IMAGINE PEACE embraces an urgent call that continues the artist’s lifelong efforts to bring peace to the world. We are so grateful to Yoko for responding to our invitation through compelling simplicity and transcending poetry.”
Derek Manns, Commercial Media Director at Landsec said: “Piccadilly Lights is the proud canvas for messages that unite and inspire people across London and the UK. We’re pleased to be supporting this important moment and display of solidarity.”
Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, said: “Thank you Yoko Ono, CIRCA and Serpentine for their amazing support to the UN’s emergency fund. All proceeds will go to vital relief work in Ukraine and other crises. I thank every individual who bought a print. Your contribution will save lives and livelihoods and show a precious ray of hope to those who need it most.”
Notes to editors
Media wishing to attend the march and vigil must request accreditation by emailing [email protected] by noon on Thursday 24 March
For more information visit: https://www.london.gov.uk/london-stands-with-ukraine
To donate to UNCERF visit: https://crisisrelief.un.org/imaginepeace or to buy a Yoko Ono print with all proceeds donated to UNCERF visit: https://shop.circa.art/products/yoko-ono. Throughout March, Yoko Ono stages an international intervention, pausing commercial advertisements on the world’s most prominent billboards to share a message of peace with the global community. Presented by CIRCA in collaboration with Serpentine, Yoko Ono’s IMAGINE PEACE is broadcasting every evening at 20:22pm in London, Milan, New York City, Berlin, Seoul, Tokyo, Rome, Melbourne and Los Angeles until 31 March. To coincide with this commission, Yoko Ono has created a time-limited edition print, available to purchase on CIRCA.ART for the month of March. £200,000 have been raised for the United Nations’ Central Emergency Response Fund (UN CERF) so far.
For more information about charities who are helping the people of Ukraine, visit: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/communities/migrants-and-refugees/how-you-can-help-ukraine