Volodymyr Zelenskiy has known as Glastonbury the “biggest focus of freedom” on the earth as he urged festivalgoers to place stress on politicians to finish the struggle in Ukraine.
Addressing crowds in a video message performed on screens on the Different stage on Friday morning, the Ukrainian president stated the Covid pandemic had “placed on maintain the lives of tens of millions of individuals around the globe however has not damaged them”.
To cheers from the gang, he stated: “We in Ukraine would additionally prefer to stay the life as we used to and luxuriate in freedom and this glorious summer time. However we can not do this as a result of essentially the most horrible has occurred – Russia has stolen our peace.”
Zelenskiy stated Ukraine would “not let Russia’s struggle break us”, and he needed to cease the invasion earlier than it ruined folks’s lives in different international locations of Europe, and in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
“They're all beneath risk now. That's the reason I flip to you for help. Glastonbury is the best focus of freedom nowadays and I ask you to share this sense with everybody whose freedom is beneath assault,” he stated.
“Unfold the reality about Russia’s struggle; assist Ukrainians who're pressured to flee their properties due to the struggle; discover our United24 charity platform and put stress on all of the politicians you understand to assist restore peace in Ukraine.”
He stated time was priceless and “daily is measured in human lives. The extra folks be part of us in defending freedom and reality, the earlier Russia’s struggle in opposition to Ukraine will finish. Show that freedom at all times wins! Slava Ukraine.”
The message was performed earlier than a stage-opening set by the Libertines, as a few Ukrainian flags had been waved among the many hundreds who had gathered. In a while, the Libertines singer Pete Doherty began a chant of “Volodymyr Zelenskiy”, with the gang becoming a member of in and cheering.
Kevin Cullen, who was within the crowd, stated it was a fantastic begin to the weekend “as a result of the pageant is supporting Ukraine and there are indicators of that everywhere in the website. The battle has been happening for some time now and we have to sustain the momentum of help.”
James Howell stated: “It was actually shifting listening to him converse – a tough act to comply with for the Libertines, for certain. It’s massively vital that we maintain serious about Ukraine. Political motion begins from the bottom up.”
A 3rd crowd member, Sharon Hardwick, stated: “His deal with was superb – a hell of lots of people will hear these phrases, so it was a great way of reminding the folks of Britain that they by no means know what tomorrow holds. Details matter.”
This yr’s pageant, which marks the fiftieth anniversary of Glastonbury, is holding a variety of occasions in solidarity with Ukraine, together with a panel dialogue within the Left Area tent on Friday with the Guardian and Observer journalists John Harris and Emma Graham-Harrison, the latter having reported from Ukraine in current months.
Kalush Orchestra, the Ukrainian group that triumphed on the 2022 Eurovision music contest, will carry out on the pageant for his or her first UK live performance, as will Ukraine’s 2021 Eurovision entrants, Go_A, who completed in fifth place general and second within the public vote.
Kalush Orchestra’s Oleh Psiuk, who runs an organisation that gives help to refugees, stated it was “one of many excessive factors” of the group’s profession. “We want to present our Ukrainian tradition to the very best extent,” he stated.
The efficiency on Glastonbury’s Reality stage within the early hours of Saturday morning shall be notably poignant as a result of one of many band’s founders, Daniil Chernov, is serving with the nation’s territorial defence forces primarily based exterior Kyiv.
Psiuk stated he was very anxious for his bandmate and the remainder of the nation as Russia’s invasion continues. “It’s very troublesome and distressing as a result of all of our associates and family members are in Ukraine. It’s like taking part in Russian roulette since you by no means know when a missile would possibly strike the house of your folks or household.”
Go_A’s lead vocalist, Kateryna Pavlenko, stated acting at Glastonbury was the group’s “largest dream come true” and an honour. “I dreamed of attending to this pageant as a spectator. And I didn’t even assume that we'd ever be invited to carry out there,” she stated.
The singer spoke in regards to the significance of illustration on the pageant. “As President Zelenskiy stated throughout his Grammy speech: ‘Fill the silence with music.’ All people ought to help Ukraine in any method they'll, however not silence.”
Simply elevating the Ukrainian flag on stage throughout a efficiency in a foreign country was already an vital manifesto, Pavlenko stated. “Additionally with our live shows we draw consideration to our distinctive Ukrainian tradition and language. We're doing every little thing to interrupt the Russian data blockade of Europe and declare that Ukraine shouldn't be Russia, and [that] the Ukrainian folks with its historic nationwide tradition have the appropriate to a separate cultural and political existence.”
Diana Olifirova, a Ukrainian cinematographer, instructed the Left Area crowd that it felt as if the struggle would by no means finish. “It’s simply fixed,” she stated. “You're feeling glad that you just survived, that your loved ones is secure, however take a look at different folks’s destroyed lives and it’s very up and down. My good friend’s home has been fully destroyed.”
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