WITHUp to now politicians in Austria have not been able to push through an invitation to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj to speak in parliament. Selenskyj presented himself to an all the larger audience on Sunday afternoon in Vienna – namely at Heldenplatz. Only a few steps away from the premises of the National Council, tens of thousands have gathered for an event in solidarity with Ukraine. Then Selenskyi was added with a short, stirring speech, which, however, was not specifically addressed to Austria, but had been recorded for comparable events throughout Europe. As usual, he addressed his demands bluntly to the “mighty in the world” and concluded with the cry of “Glory to Ukraine”.
Admittedly, only for Zelenskyj would there have been so many. But a good dozen artists and bands, who have a name in Austria and sometimes beyond, played on the big stage: from Strandhase to Ina Regen, Lou Asril to Tom Neuwirth (Conchita Wurst). The free event, which the artists performed without a fee, was set up at short notice as a private initiative and was to culminate in a performance by the band Wanda on Sunday evening.
An “attempt to overcome one’s own helplessness”
The declared purpose was, in addition to showing solidarity, to collect donations to finance relief supplies for Ukraine and for Ukrainian refugees. “Yes we care” was the motto. If you wanted, you could donate to the well-known aid campaign right there and then using the QR code that was placed everywhere. The benefit concert was an “attempt to overcome one’s own helplessness,” said singer-songwriter Cley Freude, one of the organizers. It is difficult to gauge whether it was really the more than 100,000 listeners that moderator Corinna Milborn from the broadcasting station Puls24 called – between 1 p.m. and 11 p.m. there was naturally a lot of coming and going.
Joined by video: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
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Image: AFP
Some participants had thrown Ukrainian flags over their shoulders, some released yellow and blue balloons. The “Hero’s Gate”, a pillared gate from Imperial and Royal times, was illuminated in Ukrainian colors. Musicians spoke about the need for peace and that war is “no answer”. At times it might seem disconcerting when friendly ballads or snappy rock songs were accompanied by the usual interactions: “Are you alright? I’m happy about that!” But the songs and the performance were the artists’ donations, and the influx showed their value. “It is important to experience such demonstrations of solidarity, for us, for all Ukrainians,” said Ambassador Vasyl Chymynets. Performers included pianist Danys Dragan, who played his country’s national anthem to a sea of cellphone lights.
President Zelenskyy spoke in English in the recorded video, which was accompanied by images and noise from the war. After the attack by Russia, there was only one choice: “To fight and to stay alive as free people.” Everyone stuck together, nobody ran away, you fight “in the sky, on earth, in the water and in cyberspace”. In view of the children killed, hospitals destroyed and cities burned, he could not accept the silence of the “powerful of this world” when asked to close the airspace imposing tougher sanctions on Russia, showing humanity for refugees and creating humanitarian corridors to rescue civilians in besieged cities Zelenskyy spoke of Ukraine’s restoration as part of the European family and a “new security structure”.
Later, the Austrian head of state, Alexander Van der Bellen, also appeared on the stage, which was almost directly in front of the windows of his office. In particular, solidarity must apply to Ukrainian children and young people who are suffering the war in the country or who have to flee, said the Federal President, without going into Zelenskyj’s words directly. Unlike many other speakers, Van der Bellen not only talked about a bad war and a good peace in general, but also mentioned horse and rider: It was a war of aggression ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the Ukrainians were defending their country. Appropriate words at Vienna’s Heldenplatz.