At the Osokins Freedom Festival, which took place this summer, 32,608.45 euros were collected for the support of Ukraine from event ticket revenues and audience donations. A convoy with the necessary goods for citizens and soldiers has just been seen off on its way to Ukraine, and the delivery of other aid is currently being organized.
This was pianist Andrejs Osokins fourth Freedom Festival, for the second year dedicated to Ukraine and its people as the devastating war there continues. This year for more than a month the Festival took place in Riga and Valmiera, providing a diverse program of events, including concerts, master classes, discussions, meetings of musicians with Ukrainian families, charity actions and other events. World-renowned Latvian and Ukrainian musicians, actors, artists and professionals from other fields performed in the Festival, including “Labvēlīgais Tips”, “Melo-M”, Ralfs Eilands, Katrīna Gupalo, Georgijs Osokins, “Kremerata Lettonica”, Sonora Vaice, Ieva Parša, Edgars Ošleja, Platons Buravickis, Gundars Āboliņš, Dita Lūriņa, Laura Čaupale, Ģirts Krūmiņš, piano quartet “Quadra”, Kristīne Garklāva, Kristīne Rudzinska, Mārtiņš Daugulis, Andrejs Osokins.
For the amount of donations, in cooperation with Ziedot.lv, the association “Tavi draugi”, the Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia, the confederation of associations of Ukrainians living in Latvia “Viche” and “Biļešu Paradīze”, humanitarian, medical, defence and pet help was provided to the war and flood-torn territories of Ukraine. With these funds, two all-terrain vehicles, a drone, thermal imagers, protective glasses, protective gloves, backpacks, meal kits and food for Ukrainian soldiers, hygiene products for Ukrainians, feed, medicines and various things for pets in a shelter in Dnipro “Pegas” for wild and injured animals have been purchased and have already been delivered to Ukraine with several convoys. Soon, technical equipment and other goods urgently needed by Ukrainians and soldiers will also be brought to Ukraine, delivering them to military hospitals, rehabilitation centres and other places.
“When we started this charity campaign, we couldn’t imagine how powerful it would be and how many people would join it! It is important and solemn for us every time a convoy goes to Ukraine with purchased things for the soldiers and citizens of Ukraine, and we are really proud of the people of Latvia, who have so selflessly supported Ukraine for a year and a half. Every donation saves lives and helps those who are hardest hit by the war caused by Russian aggression. I believe that every donation, every action in support of Ukraine brings closer its victory, which will also be the victory of the whole of Europe over the evil. I am grateful to every participant, supporter and all donors of the festival, because together we can achieve much more than alone and together we can feel each other’s shoulder, support and warmth!” said Andrejs Osokins, pianist, founder and creative director of the Osokins Freedom Festival.
The creative team of the festival extends its utmost gratitude to the participants, donors and supporters of the festival, including Riga City Council, Spice and Spice Home, LNK Industries, LNK Charity Foundation, patron Dmitrijs Volkovs, Valmiera County Council, Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia, Confederation of Associations of Ukrainian Living in Latvia “Viche”, Ziedot.lv, “Biļešu Paradīze”, association “Tavi draugi”, social initiative center “Common Ground”, cat help center “Remi”, as well as to the festival venues, sound and light companies, media partners and others.
Video insight into the departure of the convoy to Ukraine on August 1
Donation campaigns continue
Since the beginning of the war, more than 210,000 euros have been donated to Ukraine in various donation campaigns initiated by Andrejs Osokins. During the last two Osokins Freedom Festivals dedicated to Ukraine, a total of 53,250.12 euros were donated to support Ukraine, while more than 160,000 euros were donated in the donation campaigns implemented by Andrejs Osokins on the portal Ziedot.lv, where funds are collected for meal kits and self-heating meals, providing an opportunity to deliver 24,000 self-heating meals and more than 5,000 meal kits to the front in Ukraine since October 2022. During the implementation of this action, a large number of thanks were received from Ukrainian soldiers for the value of meal kits in frontline conditions, their convenient use, the possibility to heat food without fire and electricity, its quality, asking to continue this action. You can donate to the meal kits at the link here: ziedot.lv/maltisu-komplekti-ukrainu-karaviriem-fronte-4479
