A time to remember: Eurovision and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra unite Europe in World War I commemorations in Sarajevo

Geneva (ots) - European leaders will come together in Sarajevo on
28 June to commemorate the outbreak of World War I in a symbolic
concert performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO) and
broadcast to audiences by public service media (PSM).

The EUROVISION-led coproduction is set to take place two days
after EU heads of State and government attend a special commemoration
ceremony in Ypres, Belgium, at the start of the June European Summit.

Austro-Hungarian heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on
Sunday, 28 June 1914 outside Sarajevo's national library - the
setting for the concert. The incident set off a chain of events that
embroiled the world's major powers in a war of an unprecedented scale
leading to years of turmoil across Europe and beyond.

A century on, the concert casts a spotlight on the incredible
transformation Europe has undergone from a theatre of war to a
continent, characterised by peace and reconciliation.

The concert conducted by Franz Welser-Möst will feature music by
composers from Austria, Germany and France: Joseph Haydn, Franz
Schubert, Alban Berg, Johannes Brahms, Maurice Ravel and Josef
Strauss.

"We have created a musical programme with strong connections to
the historical events of 1914-1918, to invite the audience remember
this era-defining conflict," said Clemens Hellsberg, President of the
VPO.

The EUROVISION-led production is the centrepiece to a series of
themed projects offered by PSM to mark the events of 1914-1918 and
their continued relevance to contemporary European society.

EBU Members BHRT (Bosnia & Herzegovina), France Télévisions and
ZDF (Germany) will coproduce live TV and radio coverage of the event,
which will also be relayed to a large public audience on big screens
outside the venue.

"This flagship project is at the heart of our public service
mission - a moment for Europeans to pause and reflect on the ongoing
relevance of the First World War," said EBU Director General Ingrid
Deltenre. "It is a poignant link between the past and more recent
turmoil in Europe."

ABOUT THE EBU The EBU is the world's foremost alliance of public
service media (PSM) with Members in 56 countries in Europe and
beyond.

Its mission is to safeguard the role of PSM and to promote its
indispensable contribution to society. It is the point of reference
for industry expertise and a centre for European media knowledge and
innovation.

The EBU operates EUROVISION and EURORADIO.

EUROVISION is the media industry's premier distributor and
producer of topquality live news, sport, entertainment, culture and
music content.

EURORADIO enhances public service radio through the exchange of
music, professional networking, and the promotion of digital and
hybrid radio. With its staff of 370, the organization extends from
its headquarters in Geneva to Brussels, Rome, Moscow, New York,
Washington DC, Miami, Singapore, Beijing, and Sao Paolo.

www.ebu.ch and www.eurovision.com

Related Projects:
http://www3.ebu.ch/calendar/world-war-1-centenary

Additional resources (pictures and press kits) can be downloaded
from the EBU website: http://ots.de/zdCV4

Press contact:
Sue Neilen neilen@ebu.ch +41 79 376 49 20