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Malindi music festival promotes peace, co-existence - [Kenya]
un articulo por Bosire Boniface for Sabahi on line (abridged)
More than 8,000 Kenyans attended the Malindi Music Festival for Children on Saturday (December 1st) as part of ongoing efforts to promote a culture of peace in the region, according to local officials and organisers. The festival, which centred on children's importance in promoting peace, kicked off with a two-kilometre peace parade from Malindi Stadium to the old Sin Bird Hotel Grounds and concluded with a concert to celebrate local culture and tribal diversity.
Locals and performers walk in the Malindi Music Festival for Children parade on Saturday, December 1st. [Sabahi File]
click on photo to enlarge
Events included an exhibition of children's artwork, the screening of documentaries, and performances by Kenyan artists from various backgrounds, such as Eric Wainaina, Nazizi Hirji and Julius Owino. There were also folk performances from the Malindi District Cultural Association.
Celebrations were spearheaded by the International Committee for the Development of Peoples (CISP) in collaboration with the local business sector and local authorities.
The festival was part of a larger campaign called "I am a Child of Peace -- Malindi for Peace" that aims to inspire children to embrace the culture of peace and become peace ambassadors in their communities, said CISP communications officer Raffaella Vicentini. Forty primary schools in Kenya are participating in the campaign by engaging children with games and educational materials to teach them about human rights and help them become their own advocates, Vicentini told Sabahi. The goal of the campaign, she said, is for children to learn at an early age that peace is a precondition for their communities to achieve in education, health and development.
Singer Eric Wainaina told Sabahi that it is important for performers to reinforce the message of tolerance and peaceful co-existence as the next general election nears. "More than 1,200 people were killed, thousands were injured and many more were displaced soon after the 2007 election," he said. "We do not want a repeat of that, and everyone has to play a proactive role. I am just playing mine and festivals such as this one provide the best opportunity to do so." Wainaina, who is known for his African fusion style that blends Kenyan Benga rhythms with East African guitars and modern harmonies, said he chose to sing "Daima Mimi ni Mkenya" (Forever a Kenyan) to inspire patriotism and promote acceptance of cultural diversity within the country.
Singer Julius Owino, popularly known as Juliani, said there needs to be more religious tolerance especially at a time when the country faces security threats from al-Shabaab militants. "I tell my audience to be wary of extremists out to cause sectarian violence," he told Sabahi. "Criminals would do anything to create chaos and the best thing citizens can do is to look at the perpetrators as individuals and not profile some communities or religions."
Reggae singer and Malindi native Nazizi Hirji said it was important to go beyond major cities such as Nairobi, Mombasa and Nakuru to engage communities that may otherwise feel left out. . .
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What place does music have in the peace movement?,
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As of now, there are 33 CPNN articles on this theme, which shows the great extent to which music is the universal language of peace!
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