On 9 May, Europe Day, an ensemble of 150 Ukrainian singers performed in Bern. On this day of hope and humanity, they sang Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", based on Schiller's poem of the same name. This melody was adopted as the anthem of the Council of Europe in 1972 and became the official anthem of the future European Union in 1986.
The idea for the event was conceived by Werner Schmitt, co-founder and Board Member of the Ukraine Culture Network. The event was held under the patronage of:
- Eric Nussbaumer, President of the National Council and President of the European Movement Switzerland
- H.E. Petros Mavromichalis, Ambassador of the European Union to Switzerland
- H.E. Iryna Venediktova, Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland
- Alec von Graffenried, Mayor of Bern and President of the Bern Section of the European Movement
- The concert took place in the museum garden behind the Historical Museum of Bern
The following choirs were represented:
Prostir, Lucerne
Perespiv, Zurich
Pisnosspiwy, Basel
Creatones - creative choir, Zurich
