Rose Monday in Bonn Peace speeches at the market place
Bonn · The „Rosenmontag“ (Rose Monday) in Bonn started with a peace speech by the Prince and Princess, the Bonn Carnival Festival Committee and the Lord Mayor. Hundreds of people came to the market place.
"What is being attacked in Ukraine also directly affects us. This is democracy, this is the rule of law, this is freedom and this is the strong, united Europe for which our hearts beat and which we want to preserve," said Lord Mayor Katja Dörner in front of the Old Town Hall on Rose Monday. Together with the Bonn festivities committee and the prince and princess Marco I and Bonna Nadine I, she gave a short speech at the market square around noon, to which, according to police estimates, about 500 people had gathered.
Marlies Stockhorst, president of the festivities committee, also spoke. Freedom is the highest good in the world and everyone is entitled to it. She quoted the Kölsch band Brings: "We will be free when we love each other, it will be over, with all the wars. We are brothers, we are sisters, no matter where we are, believe me: love wins!". Carnival brings people together and that can only be done peacefully, Stockhorst said. She hoped that expressions of peace like this would send a message to the people in Ukraine. The designated carnival prince Marco I said that on days like this he was particularly proud to be from Bonn.
The appeals for peace made by the speakers met with much applause from the crowd. The colours blue and yellow dominated there, based on the Ukrainian national flag. Significantly more people came in blue and yellow wigs, jackets and scarves than in typical carnival disguises. Red clown noses were distributed to the crowd. A lot of music and larger actions were dispensed with for reasons of solidarity with Ukraine, said festival committee spokesman Simon Schmid on Monday.
Original text: Simun Sustic
Translation: Mareike Graepel
