Petition for the Creation of a Memorial to the Heavenly Hundred Heroes at Independence Square Fails to Gather Necessary Votes

Results from a petition published on the Kyiv City Council's website revealed that the call for the creation of a memorial to the Heavenly Hundred Heroes, as well as a Wall of Remembrance for fallen heroes who fought for Ukraine's freedom and independence, did not receive the necessary support. The initiative, which aimed to honor those who lost their lives during the tumultuous events of the Euromaidan protests, has faced significant backlash from its supporters following its failure to gather sufficient votes for consideration.

The petition was submitted on February 4 and, as of April 5, had garnered only 584 votes out of the required 6,000. This lack of public engagement highlights a concerning trend regarding the commemoration of fallen heroes, emphasizing the need for such initiatives to resonate more deeply within society.

The text of the petition noted that a competition for the best design of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes Memorial was held back in 2015, yet there has been no definitive response from the city authorities regarding the feasibility of creating such a memorial. The petition's author expressed the opinion that the northern part or area of Independence Square would be the most suitable location for the memorial.

Additionally, the author suggested that along the Alley of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes, it would be appropriate to establish a Wall of Remembrance, inscribed with the names of the fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives for Ukraine's freedom and independence during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. He emphasized that the spaces on the lawns near the Conservatory building, where people place flags in memory of their loved ones who died fighting the enemy, will soon be filled, making the issue of creating a memorial exceedingly urgent.

This petition is not the only initiative that has failed to gather the necessary votes. In February, another petition was presented on the Kyiv City Council's website, calling for the establishment of a Memorial to the Defenders of Ukraine and the designation of a special status for Independence Square; however, it too did not receive adequate support.

Nikita Poturaev, the head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, shared his thoughts on the need to transform the grassroots memorial for those who died for Ukraine, located near the St. Michael's Monastery in Kyiv. He also underscored the importance of organizing and establishing spatial boundaries at the grassroots memorial for the fallen at Independence Square.

Anton Drobovych, the former head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory (UINP), believes that the situation with spontaneous grassroots memorials can be resolved by proposing a new, more suitable location for citizens to honor the memory of the deceased. This could be a significant step toward creating appropriate conditions for commemorating the heroes.

Veterans Affairs Minister Natalia Kalmykova noted that spontaneous grassroots memorials for those who died for Ukraine should remain in place, but they should be made less temporary so that they can serve as lasting symbols of remembrance.

Alexander Alfiorov, the head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory (UINP), believes that the spontaneous grassroots memorial at Independence Square requires proper organization, including conservation and memorialization, to ensure a dignified commemoration of the fallen heroes.