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Ukraine flag now flies at memorial
The CNMI shows its support for war-torn Ukraine as it raises the country’s flag, left, at the memorial in San Jose. (CHRYSTAL MARINO)
With war going on in Northwest Europe, the CNMI has also raised a symbol to show their support for those who suffer in Ukraine by changing the once featured Russian flag in the flag memorial across Atkins Kroll in San Jose, to a Ukrainian flag.
Saipan Tribune reached out to the Saipan Mayor’s Office, who maintains the memorial and was solely responsible for the flag’s change, and officials there said the change had been made after Rep. Cristina Sablan (D-Saipan) had brought it to their attention, and requested for the change.
When speaking to Sablan, she stated “Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, and after the United States became involved in sending military and humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine, I became aware that the Russian flag was still flying at the memorial site in San Jose.”
She added that several CNMI residents and constituents expressed their concern in the situation as well.
She added “I subsequently learned that other local governments around the nation have raised the Ukrainian flag as a gesture of solidarity and support for the suffering people of Ukraine. I also learned that we have a small community of Ukrainians living in the Marianas. My office reached out to the Saipan Mayor’s Office, which maintains the memorial, and asked if the mayor would consider removing the flag of Russia and raising the flag of Ukraine in its place.”
Sablan also offered to provide the Ukrainian flag that was to be featured “I truly appreciate that Mayor Apatang readily said yes.” She said “We ordered the Ukrainian flag and delivered it to the mayor’s office immediately after it arrived. The mayor’s office raised the flag of Ukraine at the memorial site shortly after.”
