Strasbourg is launching an international cultural programme entitled Culture VS War — a series of events marking the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s accession to the Council of Europe. The main theme of the artistic series is to convey to the European political elite Ukraine’s ability to harmoniously complement the family of European nations and strengthen the European Union across various fields and spheres of life.
Throughout November, a series of events will take place at major venues in Strasbourg, combining music, film, photography and live communication with Ukrainian artists:
30 October – concert of music by Ukrainian composers, L’âme invincible (The Invincible Soul), at the Palais des Fêtes. Performers include violinist Bohdana Pivnenko and pianist Anna Khmara.
5 November – opening of the photo exhibition of the multimedia project Empowered as part of the Culture VS War initiative. The project features singer Jamala, artist Anatoliy Kryvolap, violinist Bohdana Pivnenko, human rights activist Oleksandra Matviychuk, kobzar Taras Kompanichenko, the band Dakha Brakha, and photographer Serhiy Mikhalchuk.
On the same day, project ambassador Bohdana Pivnenko gave a speech and musical performance in the meeting hall of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe at the opening of the World Forum for Democracy.
5–6 November — concert by the band Gogol Bordello as part of the World Forum for Democracy, as well as a screening of the film Culture VS Warat the Palais du Conseil de l’Europe.
13 November — European premiere of the film Palyanytsya (directed by Kadim Tarasov and Yuliya Bolshynska) and presentation of the Spromozhni project in the Council of Europe cinema hall.
On this day, Ukrainian books will also be donated to replenish the Ukrainian bookshelf of the National University Library of Strasbourg.
27 November — screening of the restored version of the legendary film Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors with the participation of the leadership of the Council of Europe’s Directorate of Culture.
The programme in Strasbourg will emphasise the steadfast desire of Ukrainians for Ukraine’s earliest possible accession to the European Union.
“The series of events in Strasbourg is designed to convincingly demonstrate to the European political elite the commonality of values on which a united Europe is built with the values that Ukraine is defending in the war. It will complement the image of modern Ukraine as a reliable and desirable partner capable of strengthening the European Union in many areas of life,” emphasised the project’s initiator, Andriy Rizol, head of The Watch Ukrainian! Association.