The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement at Barking and Dagenham Council, Cllr Saima Ashraf used the first in person gathering of council members to make an impassioned plea for peace in Ukraine and all over the world.  

You can kill, and you can destroy buildings, but the people of Ukraine will live on – as they always have.

Speaking at Barking and Dagenham Council’s first in-person assembly meeting last night, (Wednesday 2 March), Cllr Saima Ashraf delivered this impassioned speech, saying:

“I want to begin by saying, we are privileged to be able to gather in peace.  

“We treasure our freedom. But we must never forget it was hard won.  

 

“We are reminded of this every year when we gather around the statue of Job Drain and our memorials – and remember the sacrifice of others.  

 

“That is why, we think of the people of Ukraine – and others around the world – whose freedoms are threatened.  

“The name Ukraine means “land on the edge” where the borders are unclear and have a past that is as complicated as Ireland's. And because of this, battles have been waged there for centuries.  

 

“But the Ruthenians - as the Ukrainians call themselves – have an identify and a culture of their own.  

 

“It is this identify and culture that Vladimir Putin wishes to destroy with his imperial ambitions. But he will not succeed.  

 

“You can kill, and you can destroy buildings, but the people of Ukraine will live on – as they always have.  

 

“And so, as bombs drop in Kyiv and other cities tonight, we send a message of hope and solidarity to the people of Ukraine.  

 

“Liberté, Egalité and Fraternité.”

The council also lit up the Town Hall at the weekend in yellow and blue, the colours of the Ukrainian flag, to express that their thoughts are with everyone in Ukraine and their family and friends in the UK and other parts of the world.