Orange City Council has resolved to fly the Ukrainian flag in front of the Civic Centre.
Orange Mayor Jason Hamling said it was a small gesture but demonstrated the city’s solidarity with the Ukrainian people who are suffering immensely as the result of the shocking invasion
by Russia.
SOLIDARITY: Mayor Jason Hamling raises the Ukranian flag at the Orange Civic Centre.
“It’s hard to comprehend how this could happen in Europe today. Yet here we are watching day by day as people are killed, injured or made homeless,” Cr Hamling said.
“Orange has a long and successful tradition of being a place for people to resettle from all around the world. Post the Second World War there were a lot of new arrivals from Europe including from Ukraine,” Cr Hamling said.
In the 1950s Orange’s Ukrainian community constructed a hall on the corner of Dalton Street and Clinton Street so that they could hold dances and other social functions.
There are currently 100 Orange residents of Ukrainian descent or were Ukrainian-born living in Orange.
HERITAGE: The information board outside the former Ukranian Hall in Dalton Street.
“I am sure all those families and their descendants are feeling shock and sadness at the recent events in that region. The raising of the Ukrainian flag is a message to those Orange residents that we share your pain,” Cr Hamling said.
“There are similar numbers of Orange residents with Russian heritage in our city and I am sure they are feeling shocked and saddened by these events.”
The Ukrainian flag will replace the Orange City flag in front of the Civic Centre.
