Julia Cardy, who lives in Fredericton, will begin her walk on 14 October. Over about two weeks she plans to cover more than 250 kilometres along the Confederation Trail, from East Point to Tignish, while carrying the flag of the Alcatraz Battalion, a unit of Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade.

Cardy says she wanted a personal sacrifice that could show support for Ukrainian soldiers, hoping the walk will inspire Canadians to help.

The flag already has a long journey behind it. It travelled 700 kilometres with April Huggett, a senior combat medic, who carried it from Kyiv to Kramatorsk during a break from her duties, raising money and awareness for the troops she served with.

Cardy and Huggett first met online because they shared concern for Ukraine. Their friendship grew through joint fundraising, delivering aid, and volunteering together in the country.

Cardy hopes the PEI trek will raise $100,000 for the Alcatraz Battalion through the charity Planet of People, turning each step into a contribution for the soldiers on the front line.

During the walk the flag will be signed by Canadian supporters. After the PEI journey it will be sent back across the ocean, completing its circuit of solidarity.

The walk shows how a single symbolic act can bring a distant conflict into everyday life, rally community support, generate significant funds, and give emotional solidarity to soldiers far from home.