The two-day Conference brought together policy makers and experts from Ukraine and Western countries. It delivered the following outcomes:
Political outcomes
- Focus on the importance of arts and culture for the identity, resilience and recovery of Ukraine.
- Contributions to rebuilding the social, cultural and educational systems of Odesa Region.
- Application of the ‘Lugano Principles’ regarding the recovery of Ukraine (adopted at the international Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2022) in Lugano, Switzerland, in July 2022) to the area of art and music.
- Identification of opportunities for building back better in the education sector.
- Outcome document (including the conference agenda) for policy makers with best practices and recommendations.
Practical outcomes
- Encounters and exchanges between Ukrainian and Western experts.
- Short presentations by culture institutions from Odesa Region.
- Exchange of information and best practices among experts, e.g. on art education / music pedagogy / elementary music pedagogy / work with children
- Many follow-up projects, see UCN event page.
Participants (non-exhaustive list)
- Minister of Culture of Ukraine
- Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland
- Governor and / or deputy Governor of Odesa Region
- Representative of the Government of the Canton of Bern
- Mayor of Odesa
- Mayor of Bern
- Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland
- Ambassador of Switzerland to Ukraine and Chargé d’affaires
- Representatives of the media
- Representatives from professional associations of artists
Partners
The conference was organized with the support of:
- Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine
- Embassy of Ukraine in Switzerland
- Spanish Ministry of the Presidency, Relations with the Cortes and Democratic Memory (MPR)
- Odesa Region
- Canton of Bern
- City of Odesa
- City of Bern
- UN University for Peace
- International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation
- Yehudi Menuhin Forum Bern
- Bern Theatres (‘Bühnen Bern’)
- Burgergemeinde Bern
- Ukrainian Society of Switzerland
- Ukraine-Hilfe Bern
- Legado Sofía Gandarias
- Ars Pace
- Gesellschaft zu Mittellöwen
- Zunftgesellschaft zu Schmieden
- European Orchestra Federation
- Association of Swiss Music Schools
- Association of Music Schools in the Canton of Bern
The conference conclusions can be found here.
The conference was organized by the Ukraine Culture Network UCN (formerly: Association Legato Bern – Odesa), with special thanks to Board Members Werner Schmitt and Christian Schoenenberger.
