With so much regarding the future of Ukraine ‘uncertain’ right now, the Oranta Association for the support of the Ukrainian community in Portugal promises another joyous FelizOnda festival in Lagos this coming week.
Starting on Friday (August 22) on the site of the former secondary school, in front of the Town Hall, and running through until Sunday (Ukraine’s Independence Day), Oranta president Roman Grymalyuk says “this year it will be really nice”.
The truth is that every year it is ‘nice’: informative, heartwarming, and a chance to meet some of many Ukrainians who have made Portugal their home, but never forgotten why.
Many of Oranta’s activities involve supporting Ukrainians back home, under fire, even on the front line.
FelizOnda is a way of showing that how fiercely proud Ukrainians are of their culture. It is a feast for the eyes, if not the heart.
And by Thursday, with luck, the uncertainty will be a little less acute. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting with President Trump in Washington tomorrow, to ‘discuss’ the latter’s summit in Alaska with Vladimir Putin last Friday – and this time he goes well-accompanied: French President Macron, UK Prime Minister Starmer, German Chancellor Merz, Italian Prime Minister Meloni, Finnish President Stubb, European Commissioner Ursula Media report that NATO Secretary General Rutte, Von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Rutte are all reported to be ready to travel with him.
