Niina Ratilainen delivers an inspiring speech at the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award ceremony

Quote:

Your Honour, Commissioner Kos, Adamowicz, Mayor Klitschko.

In the United States, Rosa Parks, an activist, said that the only time when I have been tired was when I was tired of giving up. This is very descriptive of the resilience of everybody who has received an award here today and how they are always fighting against injustice.

Mayor Klitschko, I want to thank you.

You invited the chairpersons of the political groups to visit Kyiv a few years ago in the Summit of the Cities. We have visited Ukraine and we have had the opportunity to get to know you and your colleagues. And this is one of those days when we are working together.

This award ceremony is one moment, but it is one of the many moments when we remember the distress in Ukraine. The same way as we remember those who have been rewarded before, for example kidnapped Ukrainian mayors, whom we will never forget and we will not stop demanding their freedom.

For the recent days, we have probably all felt shock and anger and fear. But the building where we are here today is not a weak building. This is a strong house and it can be even stronger and it has to be stronger, because as we just heard, times are getting darker.

I have on several occasions noticed that freedom can seem from the faces of the daughters, daughters such as Abir and Smadar , who lost their lives. Daughters are the ones who suffer in the conflict the most because of their age and gender. But they are also the face of freedom, because tyrants and authoritarian leaders are not afraid of anything as much as they fear free daughters, who want to attend school. Daughters who want to cut their hair, who want to dance, claim their rights, walk in the streets, march and demand to be a part of Europe. Daughters in the Middle East have the right to their own country and to security. And the daughters of Ukraine have the right to their own language, culture, country and territory.

Mayor Klitschko, when I am taking my own daughter next Monday to the daycare, I know that you are also standing up for her right to her own country, self-determination and peace.

Thank you very much.

– Niina Ratilainen (FI/GREENS)