Ukrainian Independence Day charity concert set for Tartu on August 24
On August 24, Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day. This year, to mark the occasion, a special charity concert will take place in Tartu's Supilinn district featuring live performances from Svjata Vatra, Naised Köögis, Silver Sepp and more.
The charity concert on August 24 is entitled "Ukraine Gives thanks!" ("Ukraina tänab!") and aims to celebrate Ukraine's Independence Day by bringing together local residents, Ukrainians living in Tartu refugees, and visitors to the city.
The event also aims to raise funds to buy drones to defend Ukraine as part of a charity campaign.
The campaign was launched on July 24 at the Viljandi Folk Music Festival by the NGO Kultuuride ristmik (Crossroads of Cultures) during the joint performance of Estonian-Ukrainian Viking Cossack folk rock band Svjata Vatra and Ukrainian folk rockers Haydamaky.
The two bands are connected by Svjata Vatra frontman Ruslan Trochynskyi, who was a member of Haydamaky over 20 years ago, before moving to Estonia.
Other musicians who have performed in Haydamaky are now directly involved in the Ukrainian Army's combat operations to defend the country against Russian invasion. Therefore, the funds raised during the campaign will be directed to the specific brigade where they are serving.
Funds will also be sent to the brigade in Ruslan Trochynskyi 's hometown of Dobropillia, Donetsk Oblast, which is currently on the front line and under heavy bombardment on a daily basis.
Since 2014, Trochynskyi's current band Svjata Vatra have been closely involved in political and humanitarian activism to support Ukraine, both in Estonia and internationally.
On Ukrainian Indeopendence Day in 2023, Trochynskyi and his wife Terje organized another fundraising concert on Tallinn's Freedom Square (Vabaduse Väljak), featuring top artists from Ukraine and Estonia.
The concert was watch live on ERR by 118,000 viewers and raised €158,400 to build 52 bomb shelters at schools in the east of Ukraine.
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The Ukrainian Independence Day on August 24 kicks off at 1 p.m. in the Supilinn Swing Park in Tartu. First up is a performance of the national anthems of Estonia and Ukraine, along with the opening speeches.
At 1.15 p.m., Naised Köögis (Women in the Kitchen) will take to the stage with music combining elements of both traditional and popular music on topics ranging from the serious to the irreverent. The band explore a variety of personal and social issues that have touched or provoked them, telling stories and creating pictures with words and melodies, via honest, poetic and often humorous lyrics, set to tunes that can be anything from a waltz to a jenka, a tango or even a rap.
From 2.15 p.m. 2.25 p.m. members of the Ukrainian dance school "Dance Hayat" will perform.
At 2.25 p.m., singer, musician and poet Silver Sepp will be on stage. Sepp is described as a self-made man with self-made instruments such as a nail harp and his grandfather's bicycle wheel, which, in his hands sound utterly captivating along with his clarinet and voice, taking us to Estonia's misty meadows and wild seaside, filling the hearts of the audience with sudden joy and the feeling of belonging together.
Sepp's set will be followed by a second performance by "Dance Hayat" from 2.40 p.m. to 2.50 p.m.
Svjata Vatra will headline the event from 3 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. The Ukrainian-Estonian ensemble, whose name translates as "Holy Fire, " play folk music based on traditional songs with a fresh punk attitude – all blown into the 21st century by a shimmering trombone.
More information about the concert, including how to donate, is available here (in Estonian).
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Editor: Michael Cole
