On 1 September, in the heart of Bern’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the international art project ONE SKY FLAGS opened — a large-scale artistic installation bringing together more than 80 countries around a shared idea of peace, freedom, and human dignity.

The project is held under the patronage of Ukrainian human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk, with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in Switzerland. Along the historic streets of Bern, nearly 600 metres of flags create a single horizon beneath the sky, reminding us that we all live under one sky.

At the opening ceremony, a representative of the Embassy of Ukraine in Switzerland read out an address by Oleksandra Matviichuk and highlighted the project’s particular symbolism for Ukraine:

“For us, Ukrainians, the sky has taken on a different meaning since the beginning of Russian aggression. Freedom today also means something very simple — being able to look at the sky without fear. We have different flags. But we share one sky.”

We sincerely thank Yvonne Lee Schultz for this powerful artistic project, for her solidarity with Ukraine, and for her unwavering support for our country during these most difficult times. Culture has the power to bring people together, give a voice to freedom, and remind the world of the value of peace.

We also sincerely thank the Delegation of the European Union to Switzerland for participating in today’s opening and supporting the ONE SKY FLAGS project, as well as for its continued solidarity with Ukraine and commitment to our shared values of freedom, peace, and human dignity.

ONE SKY FLAGS will run from 1 to 22 September 2026, giving everyone the opportunity to visit the installation and become part of an international dialogue on peace and freedom.

May the day come very soon when people in Ukraine can once again look at the sky — not searching it for missiles or drones, but simply to see the sky.

We have different flags. But we share one sky.

More about the project: https://oneskyflags.com/app/app.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com