On February 24, the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the world of culture will reaffirm its solidarity with the Ukrainian people across Europe.

Responding to a call from Constantin Sigov (Kyiv) and Alexis Nuselovici/Nouss (Aix-en-Provence), more than thirty internationally renowned artists and thinkers will speak in ten European cities, to provide their answer to the question: "How can we help Ukraine and Europe win the cultural war that Russia is waging against them?"

In France, Robin Renucci (Artistic Director of La Criée, Marseille), Marcel Bozonnet (actor), Jonathan Littell (writer) and Omar Souleimane (poet), will speak at this public event which will create a chain of cultural solidarity visible to all.

From universities to theaters, from publishing houses to film and visual arts, European cultural actors are mobilizing with what they know how: their words, their ideas, and their imaginations. These cultural actors will speak out to show that they stand alongside the Ukrainian people in their daily struggles, to help them win the war and prepare for their future.

On February 24, the foundations will also be laid for a permanent forum participating in a "new humanist movement bringing together intellectuals and activists from different countries" called for by Oleksandra Matviichuk, director of the NGO Center for Civil Liberties, in her acceptance speech for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.

One year after the launch of the invasion of Ukraine, it is important to reaffirm that the war that Putin's Russia is waging against Ukraine is a war against its culture and against culture in general. In addition to the brutal denial of Ukrainian identity, the Kremlin declares the values of democracy, freedom, and critical thinking that shape European culture to be decadent. De facto, Ukraine finds itself forced to defend them, on behalf of all of us, against Russia.

MOBILIZED CITIES:

KYIV , with Sophia Androukhovych and Volodymyr YERMOLENKO (writers);

TBILISI, with Guram Odisharia and Beka Kurkhuli (writers);

SOFIA, with Theodora Dimova (novelist), Yordan Eftimov (essayist);

BUCHAREST , with Mihaela Pop (philosopher), Vladimir Cretulescu (historian);

WARSAW, with Agnieszka Holland (filmmaker), Joanna Kos Krauze (filmmaker), Andrzej Seweryn (actor, member of the Comédie Française);

CRACOW , with Krystian Lupa (director), Oksana Zaboujko (philosopher), Sergiy Jadan (Ukrainian novelist and rocker);

ROME , with Nicolas Martino (philosopher and art critic), Francesca Bellino (writer and journalist); MADRID , with Esther Bendahan (novelist), Juan Miguel Hernández León (architect, Director of the Círculo de Bellas Artes);

PARIS, with Robin Renucci (Artistic Director of La Criée), Marcel Bozonnet (actor), Jonathan Littell (writer), Omar Souleimane (poet);

BERLIN, Gerd Koenen (historian), Camille de Toledo (writer); etc.