From Zelensky’s Call for Freedom to Youth Music for Peace, Freedom and Democracy
A speech that became an inspiration for action
On 30 March 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Norwegian Parliament, the Storting, by video link from Ukraine.
His speech came on the 35th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Cities were being destroyed, millions of Ukrainians had been forced from their homes, and the future of Ukraine and Europe was uncertain.
But Zelenskyy’s message was not only about the war.
It was about freedom, democracy, peace and the future of Europe.
And for us in Support to the people of Ukraine (S2pU), his words became an important inspiration.
They helped give rise to our youth initiative:
Youth Music for Peace, Freedom and Democracy.
“The future of Europe is being decided right now”
In his address to the Norwegian Parliament, President Zelensky reminded Norway that although Norway and Ukraine do not share a border, we share fundamental values.
He spoke about freedom, human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
He also made clear that the war in Ukraine was not only about Ukraine.
“The future of Europe … is being decided right now.”
These words have remained with us.
Because the future of Europe is not only decided by governments, parliaments and international institutions.
It is also shaped by young people.
The values that Europe will have in the future depend on what young people learn, experience and choose to defend today.
From words to action
Zelenskyy ended his address by looking beyond the war.
He expressed his hope that, after peace had been restored, Ukrainians and Europeans could celebrate their common freedom and a happy future for their children.
That vision became particularly meaningful to us.
We asked ourselves:
What can young people in Norway and Ukraine do together for peace, freedom and democracy?
Our answer was music.
Music can cross borders.
It can bring people together when politics divides them.
It can give young people a voice.
And it can communicate something that words alone sometimes cannot:
the desire for freedom, friendship and peace.
Youth Music for Peace, Freedom and Democracy
This is the foundation of our project Youth Music for Peace, Freedom and Democracy.
Young people from Ukraine and Norway meet through music, cultural exchange, dialogue and democratic participation.
They do not meet simply as representatives of two countries.
They meet as young Europeans who share hopes for the future.
Through workshops, concerts, discussions and youth-led activities, they explore what peace, freedom and democracy mean in their own lives.
The project gives young people an opportunity to experience democracy rather than simply learn about it.
They listen to each other.
They cooperate.
They create together.
They discuss difficult questions.
And they discover that differences do not have to divide us.
Music as a language of peace
For Ukrainian young people, music has a particular significance.
Their country is fighting for its survival, independence and freedom.
Many have experienced war directly. Others have been forced to leave their homes, schools and communities.
Yet music continues.
It becomes a way of preserving identity, expressing hope and building connections with others.
For Norwegian young people, meeting their Ukrainian peers creates an opportunity to understand the war and its consequences from a human perspective.
Together, they create something positive in the middle of a European tragedy.
That is why we believe music is more than entertainment.
Music can be a language of peace.
From Ukraine to Europe
President Zelensky also spoke about Ukraine’s place in Europe.
He reminded the Norwegian Parliament that Ukraine and Europe share a common history and common values.
His message was ultimately about solidarity:
Europe must stand together.
Our youth project takes this message one step further.
We believe that European solidarity must not only be expressed by governments.
It must also be built between people.
And especially between young people.
When a Ukrainian teenager and a Norwegian teenager stand together on the same stage, play in the same band, sing together or discuss the future of democracy, European solidarity becomes something real and personal.
A project inspired by a historic speech
We therefore see a direct connection between President Zelensky’s address to the Storting and our work.
His speech challenged Norway to stand with Ukraine.
It reminded us that the struggle for freedom and democracy concerns all of Europe.
And his vision of a peaceful future for our children inspired us to ask what we could do ourselves.
Our response is Youth Music for Peace, Freedom and Democracy.
We want to help build bridges between Ukrainian and Norwegian youth.
We want young people to understand that democracy cannot be taken for granted.
And we want them to experience the power of cooperation across borders.
The future belongs to the young
The war in Ukraine has demonstrated how fragile peace can be.
It has also demonstrated the strength of people who refuse to surrender their freedom.
The young generation will inherit the Europe we build today.
That is why they must have a voice in discussions about peace, democracy, security and the future of Europe.
They must not only be invited to listen.
They must be invited to participate.
That is the idea behind our youth initiatives and our Youth Peace Conference.
We want to create arenas where young people meet politicians, decision-makers, experts, artists and other young people from across Europe.
They will discuss the challenges facing democracy and explore how young people can contribute to a peaceful and resilient Europe.
A promise for the future
President Zelenskyy spoke in the Storting in March 2022 at one of the darkest moments Europe had experienced in generations.
More than four years later, his words still challenge us.
The war continues.
The need for peace continues.
And the responsibility to protect freedom and democracy remains.
Our response is to work with young people.
To create music.
To build friendships.
To strengthen democratic understanding.
And to keep hope alive.
Because peace is not only something we must hope for.
Peace is something we must build.
And we believe that young people must be among those building it.
From a speech to the Norwegian Parliament to a movement among young people.
Youth Music for Peace, Freedom and Democracy.
Music for peace.
Youth for democracy.
Together for freedom.