Anna Stavychenko Selected As a Finalist for the Europa Nostra Awards 2026

“Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, my mission has been to make Ukrainian classical music known and loved internationally. For centuries, Ukrainian cultural heritage has been appropriated, marginalised, and repeatedly destroyed by Russian imperial policies. Today, while Ukrainian cultural institutions, figures, and heritage sites remain under attack, Ukraine still finds itself having to prove to the world that its rich cultural legacy exists at all. Cultural heritage is not only about preserving the past. It’s about resisting historical manipulation and shaping a just future for Europe.”