Why are celebrities wearing sunflowers for Ukraine? A symbol of support and resistance

The sunflower has emerged as a symbol of support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, with celebrities and protesters wearing or wearing the flower to draw attention to the plight of Ukrainians.

US First Lady Jill Biden twice this week wore sunflowers embroidered on her clothing to send a strong signal of her country’s solidarity with Ukraine.

On Monday, Biden, 70, wore a white face mask with an embroidered sunflower at an event at the White House in celebration of Black History Month.

US First Lady Jill Biden wears a face mask embroidered with a sunflower, Ukraine’s national flower. EPA

White House officials later clarified that Biden wore the mask to show his support for the people of Ukraine.

Biden again showed her support at Tuesday night’s State of the Union address given by her husband, US President Joe Biden. She wore a blue satin dress by US designer Sally LaPointe, which featured the US flag and an embroidered sunflower on her wrist.

Sunflowers on the red carpet

“Belfast” and “Outlander” actress Caitriona Balfe at the Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards in Los Angeles. `

Alongside Biden, Outlander actress Caitriona Balfe shows her support for Ukraine.

The Irish actress walked the red carpet at the 2022 Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards in Los Angeles last week carrying a sunflower in a black bag.

Balfe, 42, was joined by her Belfast co-stars Jamie Dornan, Ciaran Hinds and Jude Hill to honor Belfast-based screenwriter-director Kenneth Brannagh, who is nominated for an Oscar.

It’s likely that sunflowers, worn as badges or pins, will become more visible during the remainder of awards season as Hollywood helps draw attention to the plight of the Ukrainian people.

Viral video makes the sunflower a symbol of resistance

A video that went viral on social media shows a Ukrainian woman confronting a Russian soldier and telling him to put sunflower seeds in his pocket. Photo: news.com.au

The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine and has become a symbol of support and resistance. Social media posts featuring the sunflower emoji have become numerous across all platforms lately.

The sunflower as a symbol of resistance became more widely known last week when a video of a Ukrainian woman confronting a Russian soldier went viral on social media.

In the video, the unidentified woman confronts a Russian soldier and tells him to put sunflower seeds in his pockets.

“Why did you come with me? [a] Weapon for us?” she asks him. “To take [the] Seeds so the sunflowers grow when you want [die] Here.”

The soldier then says to the woman, “This conversation is going nowhere, let’s not make the situation worse.”

Protesters around the world, most recently in Canada, have decorated their placards and banners with sunflowers and have worn sunflower head coverings.

Protests in support of Ukraine across Europe – in pictures

A woman holds a placard during a protest against Russian military action in Ukraine in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. EPA

Updated Mar 02, 2022 08:32