Palestinian children from across the region took part in a concert that united the voices of 700 youths from Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, broadcast via a satellite link.
The concert was the finale of a three-year music program which aimed to
help marginalized youths through education, reported the Daily Star on Thursday.
The program, which wrapped up on Tuesday, saw the Palestinian children take part in the al-Sununu choir, organized by the Association Rostrpovich-Vishnevskaya.
The non-government organization, established in Paris by Russian musician Elena Rostropovich in 2008, orchestrated the closing event.
It featured the simultaneous performance of all 700 participants, singing in unison in Beirut, Amman, Damascus, Gaza and Bethlehem in a single concert broadcast via satellite.
“I performed today with my friends in Syria, Gaza and the West Bank…I want to be a musician in the future,” said one Palestinian child who took part in the Beirut concert.
During the concert, the children performed traditional Lebanese, Palestinian and Arab songs. The finale included a rendition of the traditional Palestinian song, “Wein a’Ramallah.”
Elena Rostropovich, speaking via satellite from the concert in Gaza, said the event was a “historic moment.”
“Today is a day of celebration and unity. It is very important that traditional music be passed from generation to generation because this is an integral part of the heritage…of the nation.”
