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Fusion Arts Concert Graces UNESCO Stage
April, 2008
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Ambassador Oliver, Director-General Matsuura and the Fusion Arts Ensemble of Performers from Brazil, India, Ireland, Mali, South Africa and the United States of America.
© UNESCO / Michel Ravassard
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Ambassador Louise V. Oliver welcomed a crowd of 900 at a vibrant Fusion Arts Concert on April 8, 2008, during UNESCO's 179th Executive Board. Eighteen talented young musicians from Brazil, India, Ireland, Mali, South Africa and the U.S performed original music resulting from their educational exchange and collaboration at Northeastern University in Boston. Onstage, they energetically fused their languages, cultures, traditions, rhythms and knowledge to create completely new rhythms and sounds.
The concert is the result of an educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State that brings together young talent from around the world to learn and inspire one another in an environment of mutual understanding and respect at prominent U.S. universities. In addition to study, participants also learned about careers and economic development activities, took part in community service projects, and developed on-going artistic and professional collaborations with their fellow participants.
Thomas A. Farrell, the U.S. Department of State's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and Anthony Paul De Ritis, Chair of the Music Department at Northeastern University presented the musicians, who were warmly received by a host of UNESCO officials, Ambassadors, members of permanent delegations and the general public.
These extraordinary young musicians have been studying under the guidance and mentorship of De Ritis, who has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York. Mr. De Ritis's widely-praised works have also been performed in Asia and Europe, most recently at the November 2007 UNESCO "Melody for Peace" concert. Members of the Fusion Arts Ensemble have performed individually in their own countries, as well as in the U.S. before their UNESCO debut.
The concert was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs with Northeastern University, and supported by the U.S. Mission to UNESCO, the U.S. Embassy in Paris and the Franco-American Commission
for Educational Exchange.
Participants in the Fusion Arts Exchange are among the approximately 40,000 individuals who participate in exchanges managed by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs each year.
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Links of interest
Fusion Arts Exchanges Factsheet
Fusion Arts Website
Fusion Arts at UNESCO Concert Participants
ECA Website
Photo Gallery: Fusion Arts Exchange Ensemble Performance at UNESCO, Paris
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