Helping local populations through war is not just about distributing humanitarian aid. It also means finding ways to lift their spirits, to enable them to escape the daily grind, the air raid warnings and the constant fear that their loved ones may be injured or killed.
In the course of hundreds of wonderful encounters in Ukraine over the last two years, we met Valentin Dulignée a few months ago. Valentin, who is a singer-songwriter, had just returned from a humanitarian convoy to Kharkiv, and was keen to tour Ukraine to bring comfort through his music.
As well as a wonderful human encounter, we immediately liked the project and decided to support it and get involved. In addition to the financial aspects, Valentin and I have put together a programme comprising 14 concerts in 13 towns between 25 June and 21 July.
The first three concerts took place in Lviv, Kyiv and Cherkasy. These were moments of great emotion, particularly at the Unbroken rehabilitation centre in Lviv and with the amputee football team in Cherkasy. The next few days will take Valentin to more exposed areas, firstly Kharkiv, then the south of the country. These are areas affected by the war on a daily basis, where the gentle sound of music will try to drown out, for a few hours, the noise of bombs and sirens.
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