On Saturday, May 16, as part of the official program of the Europe Day celebrations in Strasbourg, the Pavilion Joséphine hosted the EU-UA FEST 2026. The cultural event attracted a large audience, including representatives of the diplomatic corps, European institutions, local residents, and the Ukrainian diaspora. The primary objective of the festival was to present Ukraine's contemporary cultural potential in the heart of Europe and to strengthen international humanitarian ties. The organizers delivered a high professional standard, successfully integrating traditional arts into a modern European cultural context. The organizing committee extends its sincere gratitude for the comprehensive support provided by its official partners: the City of Strasbourg, the Grand Est Region, the Permanent Representation of Ukraine to the Council of Europe, the Mouvement de la Paix d'Alsace, the Mouvement de la Paix France, and the Ukrainian School in Strasbourg.

The festival's program showcased a wide spectrum of Ukrainian musical arts, with a specific focus on promoting the bandura as a unique national instrument. The classical segment featured performances by world-renowned virtuosos Roman Grynkiv and Larysa Dediukh, who demonstrated exceptional technical mastery. In contrast to the traditional repertoire, the innovative music project FeelOn offered an alternative approach, presenting jazz interpretations on the electric bandura, thereby highlighting the relevance and adaptability of Ukrainian musical traditions within the modern industry. The accordion legend Alfred Muller shared his talent with the audience during the intermissions.

The international and interregional dimension of the event was reflected in the diverse lineup of performers. The stage featured students from the Ukrainian School in Strasbourg, who also contributed significantly to the festival's framework, alongside international guests, including the Beregyni dance ensemble from Luxembourg. The local cultural community was represented by the Strasbourg-based ensemble TourEnSol. The vocal program included Paris-based singer Anelle, while French cellist Stas Fekete performed his original compositions, serving as an example of successful French-Ukrainian artistic collaboration. The final highlight and key innovation of the program was an experimental bandura DJ set by the festival's director and initiator, Iryna Duvari, which combined authentic acoustic sounds with electronic music to conclude the EU-UA FEST 2026 on a progressive note.