On December 1, 1918, in Fastiv, members of the Directorate of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UPR) and authorized representatives of the Council of State Secretaries of the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic (WUPR) signed a preliminary treaty on the unification of the UPR and WUPR, meeting in Symon Petilura’s staff train car. The 2 republics, which had been part of different collapsing empires, were to proclaim themselves a single state.

This historic “unification train” has been preserved — you are standing next to one of its cars.

A little later, on January 22, 1919, in Sophia Square, Kyiv, the delegation from Western Ukraine led by Lonhyn Tsehelskyi, together with representatives of the UPR Directorate Symon Petliura and Volodymyr Vynnychenko, solemnly proclaimed the Unification Act in front of tens of thousands of citizens.

For all those who stood in the square in the heart of the capital that frosty day, it was a chance to feel the power of a finally united, large European state. To feel that millions of compatriots shared their culture, language, and dreams.

The Unification Act did not save the state from war and external enemies. But it permanently recorded Ukraine’s will to be whole and sovereign, giving hope that has grown through the years. This is why we continue to celebrate January 22 as Unity Day.