“Earth without art is just eh”

As a remote guest speaker, MEP Irena Joveva attended the reception of the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, where the achievements to date and upcoming projects were presented.

In her speech, MEP Joveva emphasized she was glad that the debate on culture was still ongoing, especially in these times: “Art is much more than just the physical aspect of creativity. Music is art, too. During the shutdown of public life, we all saw that it is a unifying force that does not only unite, but can also connect different cultures, religions…”

In her speech, Joveva also mentioned the Europa Cantat festival, which took place in a hybrid format in Ljubljana this year. In the eyes of the MEP, such events prove how important concerts and live events are, and how important it is to feel art firsthand. However, in her opinion, this hybrid format was also an opportunity to bring the festival closer to the listeners, who usually do not visit such events.

The website of the reception organizers says we all sing, because it brings us physical, psychological, educational and social benefits. The MEP therefore ended her speech by asking everyone to continue singing and thus spread positive vibes through music and culture. “Earth without art is just eh.”

The European Choral Association is a non-profit organization or network of organizations, choirs and individuals in the field of collective singing in Europe, whose purpose it is to foster mutual understanding between European nations, their music, languages and cultural life. Members include more than 2.5 million singers, vocal leaders/conductors, creators/composers, educators/teachers and managers from more than 40 European countries.