Ukrainian Canadian opera singer performs Ukrainian anthem at hockey game

NP-UN Western Bureau/Calgary Herald.

A Ukrainian-Calgarian opera singer, performed the Ukrainian national anthem ahead of the March 7 Battle of Alberta in a show of support for the beleaguered country’s battle against invading Russian forces.

Stephania Romaniuk sand her home country’s anthem before the game between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers at the Scotiabank Saddledome as part of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress’s “Alberta Stands with Ukraine” week.

Romaniuk, who has loved ones in war-torn Ukraine — including a close friend who is currently fighting Russian forces in Kyiv — said the opportunity to showcase the national anthem and language of her homeland to such a large audience means a great deal to her.

“It demonstrates the cultural freedoms we have as Canadians, ones we should not take for granted,” she said.

Both Alberta NHL teams are celebrating the province’s Ukrainian culture and are standing against Russian aggression through in-game demonstrations this week. The proceeds of the 50/50 raffle from the March 7 game in Calgary will be pledged to selected charities supporting humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

The same will happen with the raffle’s proceeds for Edmonton’s March 9 against the Washington Capitals, where a Ukrainian folk ensemble will perform during the game. The Axios Men’s Ensemble performed the Ukrainian anthem before the Oilers’ March 5 game against the Canadiens in Edmonton.
The Ukrainian diaspora is one of Alberta’s largest, with a population of around 350,000 people. More than 1.4 million people of Ukrainian descent live across Canada.

“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin is trying to destroy the Ukrainian nation, its culture, its language and physically its people right now,” said Romaniuk.

“To be able to stand in defiance of this effort — even though it’s in the West and we’re protected here — symbolically, I think it’s exceptionally important.”

Stephania’s father, Bohdan Romaniuk is Vice Chair of NP-UN’s Board of Directors.

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