We received a truly special leaving gift last night but need to put it into context for you. We are fully emotional about this. Some of children have come on this trip from a town called Borodyanka. And this is central here.
Borodyanka was hit particularly hard by Russian attacks, suffering the most massive destruction of any town in the Kyiv region. The situation in the now liberated city was utterly devastating.
The destruction of residential buildings in Borodyanka, about 50 kilometers northwest of the Ukrainian capital, is significantly greater than in other towns in the Kyiv area. Fierce fighting broke out in the small town of 13,000 residents right at the start of the Russian invasion.
It became a symbol of resilience during the russian invasion after a photo of one of the houses in Borodyanka went viral: despite the flat being almost completely destroyed, a kitchen cabinet on the wall survived. Upon closer inspection, a decorative ceramic maiolica rooster was noticed atop it.
The kitchen cabinet with a rooster, which survived the bombing and remained on the wall, became a symbol of fortitude and perseverance. A meme appeared: “Be as strong as this kitchen cabinet” It is also mentioned as a symbol of the indomitable Ukrainian spirit
And this is why these replica ceramic roosters are such a significant gift. They are rare and only made in the original place. We feel so honoured to receive one. Truly special, beyond precious. During our last three visits, we’ve seen this resilience and fortitude reflected in every Ukrainian child and adult we’ve met. Remarkable strength. Astonishing hope.
