At Paradise City, we want to make a difference. With just a few days’ notice, over fourteen Belgian electronic music festivals and nightlife collectives, led by our team and Hangar, rolled up the sleeves for a unique open-air festival to raise funds for the victims of the war in Ukraine. Together with the City of Brussels they succeeded in bringing together over 4000 dancers to support the call for peace.
With a blue- and yellow coloured Atomium in the background, the event could not have been hosted in a more symbolic location. Stunning DJ sets from artists like Charlotte de Witte, Lefto, AliA and DC Salas created an electric atmosphere that raised the spirits for a good cause. However, the evening’s highlight came when Ukrainian singer Ana Fantana climbed the stage to sing the national anthem in front of thousands who held their breaths – a powerful moment of strength and solidarity.
Best of all, the event raised a whopping €100.000, thanks to the exceptional efforts of more than 22 organisations, 80 volunteers and 30 contractors. From ticket sales to bar revenue, all proceeds went straight to the victims of the Ukraine war via Underground4Ukraine. This non-profit sends lump donations every two weeks to Ukrainian Women’s Fund, the Urgent Action Fund and Voices. These three NGOs continuously resource humanitarian aid efforts for the most vulnerable displaced Ukrainians and those affected directly by the war within Ukraine.
Yesterday’s event was only the beginning, the first of many efforts of the Belgian underground event community to take a stand against war and injustice. Art isn’t made to decorate apartments. Art was always made to move, propel, and create new realities. We invite you to be a part of the movement. If not now, then when?
Last week’s event was a welcome start, but the war is not over yet – and the suffering continues. If you’re still interested in making a donation that makes a difference for the people in need, you can find a list of reliable organisations here: https://linktr.ee/niiugre
