Events
The Sophia Chamber Choir from Kyiv performed at the Yehudi Menuhin Forum in Bern on December 12 at 19.30.
The program was devoted to the upcoming Christmas time and included works from Johann Sebastian Bach, Francis Poulenc, Victor Kolomits, Iaroslav Karpiv, Oleksandr Rodin and others. The audience was presented with an impressive blend of voices and musical works from both Ukraine and Western Europe. Several of the arragements had been specifically created for the Sophia Chamber Choir.
The concert concluded with traditional Ukrainian New Year's song 'Shchedryk'. Shchedryk was arranged by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych, who was i.a. known for his arrangements of Ukrainian folk music. He was murdered in 1921 by a Soviet security agent, becoming one of the many victims of the Soviet state's suppression of Ukrainian culture.
Please find the full program under this link.
The Sophia Chamber Choir can be heard again at their Basel concert on December 16.
The concert was organized by the Ukraine Culture Network UCN, with special thanks to Werner Schmitt, UCN President.
Photo Exhibition on the War against Ukrainian Libraries
Kornhaus Bibliotheken Bern (Kornhaus libraries) and the Ukraine Culture Network have jointly organized a photo exhibition of the ongoing war against Ukrainian libraries. This war is part of the war the Russian Federation wages against Ukrainian culture and identity.
The exhibition is on display at the main building of Kornhausbibliotheken at Kornhausplatz 18 in Bern until January 31, 2026.
Swiss National TV SRF has produced a TV report on the exhibition.
about UCN
The purpose of the Ukraine Culture Network (UCN), an association under Swiss law, is to initiate and nurture partnerships between the culture spheres of Ukraine and other European countries to increase visibility of Ukrainian culture and cultural heritage. With the support of UCN, Ukrainian artists can access new audiences and markets. UCN can also support the development of art education in Ukraine through exchange programs and sharing of best practices.
On a practical level, UCN facilitates matchmaking between Ukrainian artists/culture institutions and partners (such as curators, event organisers, culture institutions, other artists, and sponsors) from other European countries. Through UCN, they meet and explore potential collaborations, e.g. productions, exhibitions, concerts, funding, artist-in-residence positions, inclusion of Ukrainian artists into productions, ensembles, or casts, and temporary exile for Ukrainian artists and artefacts. UCN encourages cultural institutions to include Ukrainian components as a natural part of their operations. In addition, UCN organises its own culture events to raise awareness of Ukrainian culture and raises funds to these ends.
