On May 15, the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy, with the track Stefania. 

Participation in the contest during the war became especially important for Ukraine. 

"They want to destroy our culture, but we are here to show that it is alive," emphasized the frontman of the band Oleg Psyuk. 

In the Eurovision final, during the performance, the leader of the Kalush Orchestra addressed the world community and called for the unblocking of Mariupol. 

The request of Ukrainians to save Mariupol and "Azovstal" from the stage on live air caused a real sensation! 

Because Eurovision organizers could disqualify contestants and impose fines for political statements. 

But the musicians did what the whole of Ukraine expected of them, what was important to them. 

And the founders of the show accepted the Kalush Orchestra's statement as a humanitarian one - and our country won by a majority of votes. 

Oleg Psyuk performed on the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest in Bukovyna keptar of the beginning of the 20th century and his signature pink panama, which after the competition was sold for UAH 11 million at a charity auction for the Armed Forces.

The new postage stamp issue is dedicated to the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.

The postage stamp shows the frontman of the Ukrainian band Oleh Psiuk wearing an early-20th-century Bukovyna “keptar” vest and a recognizable pink Panama hat. 

By the way, the pink panama was sold at the auction for UAH 11 million (about USD 300 thousand), and the glass microphone (the song contest prize), for USD 900 thousand. The collected funds were directed to supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The set includes a postage stamp sheet “Kalush Orchestra”, an unstamped art envelope and a postcard.

An interesting fact! In the contest final, after performing the "Stefania" song, Oleh Psiuk shouted "Help Mariupol! Help Azovstal right now!”. 

This call rang out like thunder and once again reminded the world community about Ukraine's present. 

And it was perceived as a humanitarian one, because it was about people's lives.