Sounds of Home: A Magical Night in Belgium United Ukrainian and Flemish Families

On a soft spring evening in Hasselt, the beautifully ornate Smaaksalon became the setting for something truly special. Sounds of Home, hosted by Little Beetle Press and Children's Books for U, brought together families, musicians, and community members to celebrate the healing power of music—and the story behind one very meaningful book.

At the heart of the event was a bilingual musical book "Sleepytime, My Little Squirrel" ("Kleine eekhoorn is moe" in Dutch/Ukrainian version), the publisher’s #1 bestseller—a collection of lullabies born from love to children. The poems were written by Halyna Budilova during her pregnancy, inspired by the soft creatures of baby bedding prepared for her second child. It opened the door to a beautiful collaboration with Olya Borodkina, a young mother and composer who later recorded all eight lullabies.

Olya’s live performance, along with talented local musicians Viktoria Bohuta, Patrick Aerden, and Katja Derewianka mesmerised the full house—registrations had to be closed a week early due to overwhelming interest. The audience also had the chance to meet the author of the book, Halyna Budilova, who traveled all the way from Ireland, and its Dutch translator, Hilde Lieten, and also receive a signed copy of the book.

While the concert moved hearts, children were joyfully engaged in creative activities organised by the incredible volunteers from Vinochok, a local organization that made the event truly family-friendly and welcoming for all ages.

The event was also attended by local council representatives, underlining its importance to the wider community. It was a magical evening that was made possible through the kind support of the Goethe-Institut and its cultural mobility programme, Culture Moves Europe, which champions cross-border creative exchange and helped bring this vision to life.

Feedback was deeply emotional and overwhelmingly positive: Ukrainian families felt truly at home, and Flemish attendees discovered meaningful new connections through the universal language of music.

Photos by Zhanna Shmatko