Music Needs No Passport

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine came to ask for our help putting on a "Star Academy" talent contest in an elementary school. Our association made a small contribution, its not always our favorite way to be of assistance, that of serving as just an economic provider, but indeed its what people here are normally interested in when you are an NGO here. We are trying to change that culture but for the meanwhile a foreigner means money and that stereotype is not easy to get rid of. It was really great to see lots of different associations, groups and schools come together to work on the project, its not something that you see around here a lot. Most of the time the resources are so scarce and everybody is competing to look better than the next one that nobody really wants to work together and its sad because in the end the children (the ones all of this is really for) are the ones who lose out.

Here is a video of the group that was created during the contest:

The director of the school was excited to see that I had shown up. She herself is convinced that the school experience shouldn’t just be rote learning but also a chance to have fun, discover ones abilities, and to develop one’s personality. She also expressed to me her perspective on the limitless power of music.

She said:"For example your association, they are Spanish, they are Christian (interesting fact - anyone from a “Western” country (no matter which one) is referred to in the arab dialect as a “Christian”, which is obviously preferable to the other term used for western foreigners, the pejorative "gouri", meaning non-believer) and they don’t speak Arabic. But I saw them this summer go into a room full of children and in 20 minutes they taught a song to a group of young Moroccans. Through that song they shared laughter, taught values, and without directly communicating with words they could overcome the borders that separate the two cultures. That is the beautiful thing about music, is that its international." I agree. It’s a feeling in the heart and a move of the feet, for a smile or a clap is enough to pass through the most hardened of hearts. Music needs no passport; it has no boundaries and triumphs over prejudice, racism, and hatred. And that is the beauty in music and in the work that we do.

Group of Volunteers Who Helped To Make It All Possibe

It was also a chance for the kids to show solidarity with Palestine and especially with the children with whom they share the same age but who can't find protection inside of a school building, much less walking to school, or even less sleeping in their homes at night.

For the kids it’s a reality, knowing that kids their age, kids that they can connect with, can't even go to school because of the fighting so it makes the experience of going to school even more special for them and they cherish the opportunity. Here is the entrance of the school…powerful.


Before the party got started there was a presentation five minutes long of the most awful and heart wrenching photos of deceased children that I have ever seen. The little girls were crying and honestly, it was unbearable to watch. I recorded the video and actually thought it would be moving to post here on the blog but I have decided not to. As hard as it was for me to see it, I couldn’t bring it upon someone else to watch it. And if you are still with me, allow me to explain.

I know that the last three weeks in Palestine have not been easy for anyone close to the Arab/Muslim world. Honestly, I don’t know how to feel, almost I prefer not to think about it except in my prayers. Its my own way of being in more of a positive energy field (if you can follow me) for I know that god is the all knowing, the all powerful, and the all forgiving...and for me to give the most I can in my life and work I have to channel my frustration in another direction, channel it into something positive instead of holding onto anger and rage. Its not just in Palestine, its all over the world, its in ourselves, so for me the fight is not there in Gaza its in the hearts of man, its in our distracted souls, and so there I prefer to do my battles.