On 24 August 2018, on the Independence Day of Ukraine, Tvoia Kraina Fest, a Ukrainian music festival, took place in frontline Mariupol, Donetsk Region, with the support of the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine.
Thousands of people turned out on Svoboda Square to listen to Ukrainian songs performed by “Mandry”, “Antytila”, “Tartak”, GrozovSka Band, Mariia Burmaka and Gypsy Lyre.
“Just celebrated the Independence Day with my colleagues giving a powerful concert in Mariupol. The audience is just incredible, energy is amazing!” Serhiy Fomenko, frontman of the band “Mandry”, shared his impressions.
“Ukrainian songs, the Ukrainian language in Mariupol – it is not politics. It is a gratitude of its kind to everyone who has fought and is fighting for Ukraine. This is a difficult region, but the sincerity of those who came to Tvoia Kraina Fest proved unreversedly: On the Independence Day, we had to be just there,” the Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine, Yuriy Stets, was quoted as saying.
Tvoia Kraina Fest is mostly designed to bring good modern Ukrainian music to the remotest corners of Ukraine, which artists often miss out in their tours.
On 11 August 2018, Tvoia Kraina Fest took place in Izmail (Odesa Region, border with Romania); on 18 August, in Henichesk, close to the administrative border with occupied Crimea.
On 8 September, the festival takes place in Konotop (Sumy Region, bordering Russia); on 15 September, Mukacheve (Zakarpattia Region, bordering Hungary); on 22 September, Novoselyshche (Chernivtsi Region, bordering Romania and Moldova); on 29 September, Sarny (Rivne Region, bordering Belarus).