Peace concert in Platres places Cyprus at Europe’s heart

On Europe Day, 9 May 2026, the Athens Philharmonic International Peace Concert brought a message of peace, culture and human solidarity to audiences across Europe and beyond through a major international broadcast presented in partnership with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Held on the historic Nightingale Street in Platres, where Nobel Prize-winning poet Giorgos Seferis conceived and wrote his iconic poem “Helen”, the concert united music, poetry, cinematic storytelling and cultural diplomacy in a production of exceptional artistic and symbolic significance. One of the evening’s most moving moments featured acclaimed Greek actress and producer Mimi Denissi reciting Seferis’ “Helen” during cinematic sequences celebrating the landscapes and cultural heritage of Cyprus, creating a powerful connection between poetry, memory and place. The project was conceived and led by conductor Yiannis Hadjiloizou, who served as founder, executive producer, music director and artistic director. Production was overseen by Petra Palenyik-Hadjiloizou in collaboration with Emilie de Schaetzen and Laurent Frat of the EBU, Tonmeister Benedikt Schröder and Teldex Studio Berlin, Roland Tscherne of Consulting Atelier Vienna, director Andreas Morell and set designer Yiannis Tziortzis of THINX. The origins of the project date back to 2010, when Hadjiloizou founded the Cyprus Peace Concert Project in collaboration with the United Nations and Colonel Gerard Hughes. The first concert took place at Nicosia International Airport on the International Day of Peace, establishing a vision that has since evolved into an international cultural platform. The programme opened with Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasy”, featuring soloists Vassia Alati, Maria Kosovitsa, Eleni Voudouraki, Christos Delizonas, Ioannis Kalyvas and Yiorgos Ioannou. In a rare interpretation, Yiannis Hadjiloizou simultaneously conducted the work while performing the piano solo part. A tribute followed to the music of distinguished Cypriot composer Michael Hadjiloizou. Pianist Mary Alexandratou performed “Ora Kali (Good Hour)”, Op. 3 for Solo Piano, while Matea Leko performed the massive orchestra reduction in excerpts from the composer’s six operas: “Eleftheria (Liberty)”, “9 July 1821”, “Epitafios (Epitaph)”, “Epic Rhapsody”, “Zidros” and “Kypros Ealo (Cyprus Has Fallen)”. The choral fugue “Epi Gis Irini (Peace on Earth)” further reinforced the concert’s central message of peace and prepared the audience for the evening’s culmination. The concert concluded with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, featuring soloists Maria Kosovitsa, Eleni Voudouraki, Alexander Schulz and Alexander Vinogradov. In a deeply symbolic artistic gesture, the choir replaced the word “Freude (Joy)” with “Frieden (Peace)”, transforming the celebrated “Ode to Joy” into a contemporary appeal for peace under Hadjiloizou’s direction. Presented on Europe Day in a location closely associated with one of Greece’s greatest literary figures, and culminating in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony reimagined as an appeal for peace, the concert brought together artistic traditions from across Europe in a celebration of shared cultural values. Beyond its artistic achievement, the production served as a significant international showcase for contemporary Greek and European classical culture. Its international impact was further underscored by its selection for broadcast by Austria’s national broadcaster ORF as part of its Europe Day programming. The Athens Philharmonic International Peace Concert was presented by Bang & Olufsen, with American Medical Center and concert host Dr Marinos Sotiriou serving as Principal Supporting Partners and Skylink Services as Official VIP Aviation Partner. Additional support was provided by Official Patrons ECM Partners, Payabl., Bank of Cyprus, ASBIS Group, SHL Foundation, Sawa Realty, Exness, Freedom24 and Alphamega Hypermarkets. Official VIP Hotel Partners included Amara, Mediterranean Beach Hotel, Ajax Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Limassol, Amathus Beach Hotel and St Raphael Resort, while the Cyprus Tourism Enterprises Association played an important supporting role. From the mountains of Troodos to television audiences across Europe and the wider world through the EBU network, the Athens Philharmonic International Peace Concert stood as a reminder of the enduring power of culture to promote peace, humanity and international dialogue. For many observers, the concert represented not only the culmination of an ambitious artistic undertaking, but also the beginning of a new chapter in the international cultural journey of Yiannis Hadjiloizou and the Athens Philharmonic, establishing the Athens Philharmonic International Peace Concert as a new institution with international reach and long-term cultural significance.