Already tomorrow, a Latvian serviceman begins his journey to the South Pole to collect donations for Ukraine

Tomorrow, on December 28, 2024, Latvian mountaineer will embark on an expedition to ski to the geographical South Pole in Antarctica as part of his new initiative "Sunflowers for Freedom." This mission aims to remind the world of the unjust and brutal war in Ukraine and to encourage donations to support Ukrainian freedom fighters. On January 3, Juris will climb on the ice, completing the 16-day journey from latitude 89 to the geographical South Pole, where he will deliver the flag of Ukraine.

Juris seeks to draw attention to the courage of the Ukrainians and remind the world of the need to help those fighting for their freedom. The gruelling trip through the glaciers will symbolically reflect Ukraine's difficult path of overcoming difficulties and never giving up. Juris, an officer in Latvia’s National Guard and a university professor, wants to remind Westerners living in peace that Ukrainians need support now more than ever. 

Donations for medical assistance to the people of Ukraine are being collected on the UNITED24 platform HERE. Headed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, UNITED24 ensures convenient and transparent collection of donations, guaranteeing that every cent will reach the people of Ukraine who need help most right now.

"It is almost impossible for people who have not seen war to imagine what life in a war-torn land is like. Daily life has been ruined. Loved ones suffer and die. Peacetime problems such as completing work assignments before a deadline or buying Christmas gifts no longer seem like a problem compared with sheer survival and struggling for food and heat. By carrying the Ukrainian flag to the South Pole, which I already took with me to the top of Mount Everest on May 17, 2023, I would like to encourage people to imagine what their life would be like without a warm, cozy home, restaurants, theaters, supermarkets, cars and other comforts,» Juris explains. "If the expedition inspires people to help, my goal will be achieved. I therefore call on the public, companies and organisations to get involved and support the campaign with donations to provide real help for the Ukrainian people».

Since 2017, Juris Ulmanis has been actively involved in providing assistance to Ukraine, personally delivering aid shipments to Ukrainian children and soldiers. He has also authored the book "When War Becomes Personal", an emotional story about the experiences and tragedies that bind him to the war in Ukraine. It has been published in Latvian, Ukrainian and English. 

Juris has already completed the "Seven Summits" challenge, reaching the highest point on every continent, including raising Ukrainian, American and Latvian flags on Mount Everest in May, 2023. He has also written the books “The Continuing Path to Everest’’, “My Book of Mountain Revelations’’ and ‘’To Greenland for Pearls’’.