Universal Music Group (UMG) was awarded the Peace Prize for supporting humanitarian activities in Ukraine. UMG became the first music company to receive this distinction. She was one of the first to join the sanctions against Russia. The support of UMG proves that the sphere of culture should not stand aside from the topic of war.
The award was received by Frank Brigmann, CEO of the company in Central Europe and the classical music label Deutsche Grammophon.
“Music has always served as a beacon of inspiration, hope and healing — and helped bring peace to those affected by violence. Russia's military invasion of Ukraine is affecting millions of people who have urgent humanitarian needs, from food and water to shelter and clothing. Universal Music, our employees and artists are proud to support groups that are on the ground providing vital humanitarian aid to those who need it most,†said Brigmann in accepting the award.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Universal Music has financially supported a wide range of organizations providing humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian people, including:
- Support of public organizations that assist refugees in the region. Among them are World Central Kitchen, International Rescue Committee, CARE, etc.
- Support for the Global Citizen initiative "Stand Up for Ukraine". It has united hundreds of thousands of people around the world to raise billions of dollars and launch a global social media presence.
- "Concert for Ukraine". The labels UMG Decca Classics and Deutsche Grammophon have collaborated with New York's Metropolitan Opera to release a live album "A Concert for Ukraine" in July 2022. The concert was recorded live on March 14. Funds from the sale of the album were donated to charitable organizations that assist in Ukraine.
“Ukraine thanks Universal Music for its constant support. The company was one of the first to support our country and join the sanctions against Russia. Since the beginning of the large-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, Universal Music has shown that are true friends of Ukraine, and the cultural sphere should not remain on the sidelines in this war,†said Olga Stefanishyna.
Accepting the award, Frank Brigmann emphasized: “Throughout history, music has served as a beacon of inspiration, hope and healing and helped bring peace to those affected by violence. The Russian military invasion of Ukraine affects millions of people with urgent humanitarian needs, from food and water to shelter and clothing. Universal Music, our employees and artists are proud to support groups on the ground that provide vital humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable.â€
A re-recording of Sting's hit "Russians". All profits went to www.helpukraine.center — a volunteer center founded by Ukrainian business owners to receive humanitarian and medical aid from around the world.
