Skip to content

EU PRESIDENCY HANDOVER CEREMONY IN KYIV

This Saturday, the Embassy in Kyiv arranged a big celebration of the Danish EU Presidency!

When 17.08.2025
Under the title “EU Presidency: Passing the Torch from Poland to Denmark”, the open-air event included speeches from the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Mr. Taras Kachka, Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Yevhen Perebyinis as well as the Polish Ambassador Mr. Łukasiewicz and our very own Ole Egberg Mikkelsen.

After some inspiring words in Ukrainian and English, the event moved to the universal language: music. The National Presidential Orchestra played famous musical pieces from Ukraine, Poland, Denmark and of course the “Ode to Joy”, emphasising our shared European identity – and the European aspirations of Ukraine.

The Danish musical piece is called “European Solidarity March”, made by Danish composer Morten Jessen specifically for the Danish EU Presidency, inspired by the composer’s tour of Ukraine last summer. The piece celebrates the strong connection between Ukraine and Denmark at a time, where Ukrainians are fighting for freedom and democracy at the frontlines.

You can hear the word premiere of the piece here. 

Rounding out the musical performance was another world premiere: the National Presidential Orchestra’s version of AQUA’s “Barbie Girl”. Watch as Kyiv enjoyed a moment of levity in a time filled with war, loss and serious events unfolding:

Lastly, the participants were invited to participate in a bike parade, celebrating the Danish bicycle culture! Many joined in this celebration, including Mr. Kachka. The bike parade (and the event itself) also served as a fundraiser for the volunteer project Bikes4Ukraine, which collects second-hand bikes from across Europe, repair them, and deliver them to war-affected communities in Ukraine — where they are needed most. The project is spearheaded by Danish-Canadian urban designer and architect Mikael Colville-Andersen.

The day took place on the central Kontraktova Square, where Colville-Andersen recently finished another volunteer project called TORV, a pop-up urban space.