The towering Friendship of Nations Arch in Kyiv—normally a dull titanium structure—has been revitalised with a splash of rainbow colours in honour of this year’s Eurovision theme: Celebrate Diversity.
The arch was built in 1982 during the Soviet era to celebrate the unification of Russia and the Ukraine and to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the USSR.
The monument has been temporarily covered with bright paper and coloured lights that glow in the evening.
Gennadiy Kurochka—a Ukrainian PR consultant who has been working with the Eurovision Song Contest—uploaded photos of the structure’s new look to Facebook.
"[I’m] proud that slowly (but how) the country is changing," he said.
"Filled with new meaning, a new sense of belonging to a free people – free in thoughts, free in spirit!"
The arch is already a hit with tourists and locals who have been flocking to the site to take selfies.
However, a number of Ukrainians have complained about the makeover with some Facebook users writing that the rainbow arch was “pathetic”.
One person commented on Kurochka’s post that "Some LGBT people run the country, other LGBT people spoil what the other generations created. Pederasts, what to take from you.”
While the colour will be stripped from the Arch of Diversity following Eurovision, some are hoping that the rainbow hues will stick around for Kyiv Pride which will take place on June 18.
