Harvard Square Stands in Solidarity with Ukraine

Harvard Square Stands with Ukraine
Ross Miller’s Ukraine Echo 

On Sunday, March 20th at 4:30 p.m., Cambridge artists, Ross Miller and Yolanda He Yang, will wrap the Charles Sumner statue in Harvard Square in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. The statue is located directly across from the First Parish Church at 1446 Massachusetts Avenue.  

In presenting the concept of Ukraine Echo to the city of Cambridge and the Harvard Square Business Association (HSBA), Miller said, “The horrors of war constantly update on our phone as residents of Lviv, Ukraine carefully wrap urban artworks, protecting a fountain dedicated to the ocean goddess from bomb damage. With jarring pain, we know we are not able to physically connect or assist. Even more helpless…how can artists act to show empathy? This project is an insignificant yet heartfelt effort to transfer an image from Lviv, Ukraine to Cambridge, Massachusetts – a tiny symbolic action. Perhaps the futility of this action is part of the expression.”

As Ross and Yolanda wrap the statue, renowned performer, Olga Lisovska
, will sing the Ukrainian National Anthem. Staff from the HSBA will hand out small Ukrainian flags. Attendees and passersby will be invited to stand in solidarity and wave the flags in front of the statue until 5:15 p.m.    

Denise Jillson, executive director of the HSBA, said, “Immediately following the wrapping of the Sumner statue and the flag-waving event, participants will be encouraged to walk down Massachusetts Avenue to The Sanctuary Theatre at 400 Harvard Street where Cambridge for Ukraine will commence with music, song, dance, speeches and fundraising.  

Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts – March 20, 2022Statue wrapped to echo and honor Ukrainian resistance. (Charles Sumner, 19th C abolitionist – sculpture by Anne Whitney)

Cambridge for Ukraine

José Mateo Ballet Theatre Dance for World Community in partnership with ArtsBoston, Cambridge Arts Council, and Harvard Square Business Association present Cambridge for Ukraine – a free gathering to show solidarity with and to raise funds for those affected by the war in Ukraine – Sunday, March 20 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at The Sanctuary Theatre, 400 Harvard Street, Cambridge, MA.   Performances include World Ballroom Showdance Silver Medalists Ukraine-born Nazar Batih and Cambridge’s own Mariko Cantley; José Mateo Ballet Theatre’s YouthWorks; New England’s Premier African Dance Group Benkadi; Cellist Alan Toda-Ambaras; emerging artists from, Triveni Dance; Legendary Flamenco Dancer Clara Ramona and many others.  We will also hear from Brian Corr, Community Activist; Professor Darren Kew, McCormack Graduate School’s Executive Director of Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development at UMASS; Oleh Kotsyuba, Manager of Publications at the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University; José Mateo, founder of Dance for World Community; and Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui.  Light refreshments will be served.  These events are free and open to the public.