President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the festivities on the occasion of the International Volunteer Day, which took place on the territory of the Mystetskyi Arsenal Museum Complex in Kyiv.
"The Ukrainian people have never been indifferent. We have always been sensitive to the problems and needs of others. "We have always helped each other in need, and at some moment the words 'Ukrainians' and 'volunteers' have become synonyms," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that this moment was 2014, when the war in Donbas began.
"The moment everything changed. The moment everyone changed," the Head of State said.
The President mentioned three stories of volunteers who, with the beginning of the armed aggression against Ukraine, left their usual peaceful life to help the Ukrainian army. They brought helmets, bulletproof vests, thermal imagers and optical sights, first aid kits and important medicines to the soldiers who defended Ukraine on the frontline.
According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, volunteering made Ukraine invincible in 2014 and makes our state invincible today and always.
"Because it is impossible to defeat an army whose number is unknown. An army, the ranks of which in one moment is reinforced by tens, hundreds of thousands, millions of people who do care. Those who are ready to give everything they have because they promised the boys an optical sight. Those who are ready to look for the necessary medicine all night. Those who believe that the "bike will wait"… Millions of Ukrainians. Worthy. Free. Not indifferent," said the President.
After the speech, he presented state awards and congratulated everyone on the International Volunteer Day.
During the celebrations, the parties talked about the development of the volunteer movement in Ukraine, which has gained special significance since the Revolution of Dignity and the beginning of the war in Donbas in 2014, the history of modern world volunteering.
