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Object: 

A rose from Kherson, herbarium made in 2022

A rose from Kherson, cut in June 2022, is on display at the Museum of Resistance.

Rose volunteers of Kherson

This is a story about how the people of Kherson took care of the rose bushes even during the occupation and continue doing this after the liberation.

March 2022. An elderly woman cuts roses on Mirny Boulevard. Russian soldiers are approaching her, they are wary - just a block away, on Freedom Square, protests against the occupation take place every day. The invaders ask the woman what she is doing. The woman answers that she takes care of the roses, they need to be cut. And she is doing this to please the people Kherson.

 

The woman's name is Nadia Timofievna, she is 87 years old, and she calls herself a volunteer:

 

"I call myself a rose volunteer in Kherson. War is war, but beauty should be in every house, on every street, in every yard. People meet her and say: "Timofiivna, we saw your work - it's a very beautiful square, the whole square is in bloom!".

Sometimes Nadiya Timofievna kisses the flowers and says: "Thank you, my beauty, that you have blossomed and that you make the whole of Kherson happy!".

 

After the liberation of the city, Nadia Timofievna's house was damaged by a Russian rocket, however, when she was filmed at work by the correspondents of the media-platform “Vgoru”, she did not complain about life, but shared her dream. Nadiya Timofievna dreamed of a small saw and high-quality secateurs to take care of Kherson roses better.

After the publication, there was a real "secateur-saw fever": many people wanted to buy the necessary tools for a good cause and for their hometown. Later, Nadiya Timofievna received several packages with the tools she needed. One of the packages came all the way from Germany. Such support from the people of Kherson, scattered around the world, inspired the retired female friends of the rose volunteer, so they started working together under her leadership.

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In Kherson, roses bloom in the spring and the flowers remain until it gets cold.

Apparently, they are somewhat similar to the people of Kherson – people who are able to see and create beauty, but at the same time are armed with spikes against the "Russian world".

Photo: Oleksandr Kornyakov/mediaplatform Vgoru

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This website is created under the project "Kherson: Liberation of Memory" implemented by the NGO Center for Cultural Development "Totem" by the sincere support of the American people and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the USAID Democratic Governance East Activity.

 

The content of the publication reflects the position of NGO Center of Cultural Development “Totem” and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

Partners:

Department of Culture of Kherson City Council

Department of Economics and Investments of Kherson City Council

Kherson Regional Branch of the Sociological Association of Ukraine

© 2024 This guide is created by NGO Center of Cultural Development "Totem"

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