World Peace Day: Ukrainian children join choir on Tynwald Hill

There were performances in English, Manx and Ukrainian

A group of Ukrainian children have joined a choir of 300 school pupils on the Isle of Man for World Peace Day.

Pupils from 16 primary schools gathered at Tynwald Hill to celebrate the United Nations' International Day of Peace.

The choir sang a number of songs, including The Beatles' All You Need Is Love, John Lennon's Imagine and Padjey Colum Killey, which translates from Manx as St Columba's Prayer.

Almost 100 Ukrainians have applied to relocate to the island since March.

Mia, 7, who sang in Ukrainian said it had been "a lot of fun... to see everybody sing and everybody being happy".

Fellow choir member Vlad, 9, said he had had "an amazing day", while Norseen, 8, said when she was singing, it "felt like everybody was friends and the war stopped".

'Very grateful'

Among the pupils performing were also children from the Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, the only school in the island where children have lessons solely in Manx.

Volunteer Christy Dehaven said it was "really special" to hear songs in other languages, adding: "That's what this is all about, unity, diversity, bringing peace... and supporting the Ukrainian cause."

The event was staged to raise funds raised for the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, which provides food, water and medical assistance for people in the country.

Karolina Davison, who has lived in the Isle of Man for 17 years said her fellow Ukrainians were "very grateful".

She said many Ukrainians did not know where the Isle of Man was and "for them to actually hear and see this today... it means a lot".