Lights to be turned off in Camden tonight in solidarity with Ukraine
Lights will be turned off at the British Library, Camden Council buildings, and on the Christmas Tree in Camden Market to show solidarity with Ukraine at 8pm tonight (December 21st).
The #LightUpUkraine campaign is calling upon people around the world to turn off their lights at 8pm tonight, local time, in solidarity with Ukrainian people who are facing blackouts this winter caused by Russia’s invasion, and to help raise funds for generators for hospitals across Ukraine.
The lights at Camden’s 5 Pancras Square building and Crowndale Centre will be turned off for one hour at 8pm. LabTech will turn off the Christmas Tree lights in Camden Market, the British Library will switch off the lights on its famous piazza as well as reducing internal lighting to a minimum, and the iconic BT Tower will also go dark.
Famous sites going dark in London include Wembley Stadium’s arch, the Royal Albert Hall, the Oxo Tower, and City Hall.
The Colosseum in Rome, Sydney Opera House, Toronto’s CN Tower, and Budapest’s Liberty Bridge are among the international landmarks joining the movement on the darkest day of the year in Ukraine.
Recent Russian attacks on Ukraine have left around 10 million people without electricity. The #LightUpUkraine campaign is aiming to raise $10 million via UNITED24, Ukraine’s national fundraising platform, for 1000 generators to power Ukrainian hospitals this winter.
It has been remarkable to witness the resilience and bravery of Ukrainians this year as they have faced immense suffering and destruction caused by Russia’s illegal invasion of their home country.
Camden is proud to stand in solidarity with Ukraine and to have welcomed over 500 Ukrainians refuges into our communities. We remain committed to doing all that we can to support people fleeing the war and the humanitarian aid response.
Tonight - on the darkest day of the year - Camden will join cities and landmarks around the world in showing our solidarity with Ukraine, and to reflect on the hardship that millions of Ukrainians will endure this winter, living without power in freezing conditions, as they continue to defend their country.