Mariana Sirko came to Canada in the spring of 2024. She’d been living in Kyiv for the past decade, but the Russian attacks on her home eventually forced her to flee, leaving behind friends and family.

“The war is going deeper and deeper, and it’s becoming harder and harder to live in Ukraine,” says Sirko.

A year later, Sirko is thankful for the welcoming community in her new country as she navigates the typical challenges faced by newcomers. But even as she builds her life in Calgary, her heart is never far from home.

“Even though I’m here in Canada right now, I’m still with Ukraine with all my thoughts and feelings.”

Like the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have come to Canada since the war began, Sirko is watching closely as world leaders try to broker a peace deal between

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