General Discussion

The Ukrainian delegation included members of “Cultural Forces” – an initiative combining military personnel, artists, and activists for cultural resistance. Captain Mykola Sierha, bandura player and drone operator Taras Stoliar, opera singer Yuriy Ivaskevych, violinist and scout Olha Rukavishnikova, press attaché Valeriy Shyrokov, and soldier Artem Poznanskyi represented Ukraine at the festival.

All delegation members have combat experience and serious injuries. They also have artistic achievements.

Ukrainian soldiers delivered a chamber performance for festival guests after the premiere. This symbolized culture as both a tool for recovery and a component of resistance.

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Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the war has taken the lives of 204 artists and 107 Ukrainian and foreign media workers.