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(Air Force Lt. Col. Cristina Moore Urrutia) The main purpose of our tour

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is to celebrate with the Ukrainian people

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their independence.

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Us being here, I think, reinforces how our nations

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feel very strongly about our relationship,

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the importance that we have, that we value, um,

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our ability to stand together, side by side, as any challenge comes.

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Obviously, we're hoping for a peaceful and secure Europe.

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Music is one of those expressions of the soul that crosses

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all kind of boundaries,

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and so, I think, for me,

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Music of Freedom is about expressing the heart of a people,

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where they have maybe been oppressed or they have felt struggle,

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and they have been able to express that through music.

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So, being able to come to a place like Ukraine, where struggle continues,

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and we can play some of the music that is near and dear to their heart, 

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I think that's a way of expressing our common bond with one another,

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where we both, and we all, all over the world, right?

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We long for the same things.

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I really hope the people of Ukraine will sense

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the solidarity that the United States has with them.

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You know, as members of the U.S. military, we travel all over Europe and Africa,

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and we don't just represent our unit.

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Of course, we represent the Air Force,

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but oftentimes we're representing our nation,

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and it's an opportunity for us to show each different country 

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how much we value the relationship that we have with them.

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So, that's what I would want the people of Ukraine to take away,

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is that they know and understand and feel,

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in a way that's maybe pretty visceral and emotional,

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in a way that lasts maybe longer than a talking point, um,

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where they really know and understand

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that we stand shoulder to shoulder with them.

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The USAFE (you-SAFE-e) Band is honored to travel all throughout Europe and Africa.

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We have over 400 performances a year,

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and each location that we go, our presence is, is, uh, a response of our nation

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to say we are standing with you, that our friendship matters,

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that common bond of, of, longing for freedom

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or sovereignty -- state sovereignty,

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the importance of each nation to be able to determine its own way ahead.

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Those are the things that I think

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our presence can represent in a particular country.