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Month: September 2018
Tel Aviv Beats out Jerusalem to Host 2019 Eurovision Song Contest
Tel Aviv will host the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time next year, beating out bids by Jerusalem and Eilat, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said Thursday.
Israel earned the right to host next year’s Eurovision in May when Israeli singer Netta Barzilai won the 2018 contest in Lisbon with a song inspired by the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment.
EBU said the decision to chose Tel Aviv was taken by the contest board, which had asked Israeli public broadcaster KAN to present at least two potential candidate cities for the annual competition.
“All the bids were exemplary but in the end we decided that Tel Aviv provides the best overall setup for the world’s largest live music event,” EBU chief Jon Ola Sand said in a statement.
“We are excited to bring the Contest to a brand new city and are looking forward to working together with KAN to make 2019’s Eurovision Song Contest the most spectacular one yet.”
Barzilai’s win was Israel’s fourth victory.
The country previously hosted the contest in Jerusalem in 1979 and 1999, but this time, EBU said Tel Aviv won out after presenting “a very creative and compelling bid”.
EBU said the competition would be held at Expo Tel Aviv, with the semi-finals set to be held on May 14 and 16 and the grand finale on May 18.
A financial dispute between KAN and the Israeli government had threatened to derail the plans to hold next year’s event in Israel at all, but that issue was resolved last month.
Another possible obstacle to the show could meanwhile come in the form of pressure on participants from the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel over its occupation of Palestinian territory.
There have also been concerns that ultra-Orthodox Jews may protest against violations of the Jewish Sabbath, preventing the event taking place on Saturday.
your ad hereDiplomatic Moves Boosted to Prevent Idlib, Syria, Bloodbath
A senior U.N. official reports a readiness plan has been developed to assist hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in Syria’s northern province of Idlib, while diplomatic moves to prevent all-out war accelerate.
The U.N. Regional Coordinator for the Syrian Crisis said he has appealed for the protection of civilians in Idlib to countries of influence attending a Humanitarian Task Force meeting in Geneva.
Panos Moumtzis said he has received assurances from the Russian and U.S. co-chairs that everyone was intent on finding a peaceful way forward.
Moumtzis said the task force has met several times during the past couple of weeks focusing on a peaceful solution. He told VOA the role of Russia and the United States is crucial in this effort.
“Diplomacy, prevention, humanitarian diplomacy, is taking place at the moment at all levels to make sure that everybody works for the same objective to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe. And, our fear that the worst may still be ahead of us that this will not happen on the ground,” Moumtzis said.
Nearly three million civilians are trapped in Idlib. They have nowhere to go as all routes are closed to them. The United Nations warns a full-scale military operation in Idlib would result in the worst massacre of this century
Since early September, aerial bombardment and shelling by Syrian and Russian forces have increased. The United Nations reports dozens of people, including women and children have been killed and wounded, and several hospitals and schools have been attacked and put out of service.
The United Nations reports more than two million of the nearly three million people in Idlib need humanitarian assistance.
Syrian crisis chief Moumtzis said humanitarian agencies have developed a plan to respond to the needs of 900,000 people who could be affected by hostilities. He said everyone is hoping for the best, while preparing for the worst.
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UNICEF: Yemen War a ‘Living Hell’ for Children
In the malnutrition ward of a hospital in the Yemeni capital Sana’a, doctors weigh toddlers with protruding rib cages and skeletal limbs.
Twenty children, most under the age of two, being treated at the ward in al-Sabeen Hospital are among hundreds of thousands of children suffering from severe malnutrition in the impoverished country that has been ravaged by more than three years of war.
“The conflict has made Yemen a living hell for its children,” Meritxell Relano, UNICEF Representative in Yemen, told Reuters.
She said more than 11 million children, or about 80 percent of the country’s population under the age of 18, were facing the threat of food shortages, disease, displacement and acute lack of access to basic social services.
“An estimated 1.8 million children are malnourished in the country. Nearly 400,000 of them are severely acute malnourished and they are fighting for their lives every day.”
A coalition of Sunni Muslim Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, intervened in Yemen’s war in 2015 against the Iranian-aligned Houthis after they drove the internationally recognized government out of the capital Sanaa.
The war has unleashed the world’s most urgent humanitarian crisis in the nation of 28 million, where 8.4 million people are believed to be on the verge of starvation and 22 million people are dependent on aid.
The coalition has imposed stringent measures on imports into Yemen to prevent the Houthis from smuggling weapons but the checks have slowed the flow of commercial goods and vital aid into the country.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE say they are providing funds and supplies to support aid efforts in Yemen. The Houthis blame the coalition for choking off imports into the country.
In Sab’een hospital a toddler in diapers lay wrapped in blankets with a tube inserted in the child’s nose. Another child cried while being lowered naked unto a scale to be weighed.
The families of the children declined to speak to the media.
“The situation of the families without jobs, without income and in the middle of the war, is catastrophic,” Relano said.
She said UNICEF had provided more than 244,000 severely malnourished children under the age of five with therapeutic treatment since the beginning of 2018, in addition to micronutrient treatment to over 317,000 children under five.
“The human cost and the humanitarian impact of this conflict is unjustifiable,” U.N. humanitarian coordinator Lise Grande said in a statement on Thursday.
“Parties to the conflict are obliged to do absolutely everything possible to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and ensure people have access to the aid they are entitled to and need to survive.”
your ad hereUNICEF: Yemen War a ‘Living Hell’ for Children
In the malnutrition ward of a hospital in the Yemeni capital Sana’a, doctors weigh toddlers with protruding rib cages and skeletal limbs.
Twenty children, most under the age of two, being treated at the ward in al-Sabeen Hospital are among hundreds of thousands of children suffering from severe malnutrition in the impoverished country that has been ravaged by more than three years of war.
“The conflict has made Yemen a living hell for its children,” Meritxell Relano, UNICEF Representative in Yemen, told Reuters.
She said more than 11 million children, or about 80 percent of the country’s population under the age of 18, were facing the threat of food shortages, disease, displacement and acute lack of access to basic social services.
“An estimated 1.8 million children are malnourished in the country. Nearly 400,000 of them are severely acute malnourished and they are fighting for their lives every day.”
A coalition of Sunni Muslim Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, intervened in Yemen’s war in 2015 against the Iranian-aligned Houthis after they drove the internationally recognized government out of the capital Sanaa.
The war has unleashed the world’s most urgent humanitarian crisis in the nation of 28 million, where 8.4 million people are believed to be on the verge of starvation and 22 million people are dependent on aid.
The coalition has imposed stringent measures on imports into Yemen to prevent the Houthis from smuggling weapons but the checks have slowed the flow of commercial goods and vital aid into the country.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE say they are providing funds and supplies to support aid efforts in Yemen. The Houthis blame the coalition for choking off imports into the country.
In Sab’een hospital a toddler in diapers lay wrapped in blankets with a tube inserted in the child’s nose. Another child cried while being lowered naked unto a scale to be weighed.
The families of the children declined to speak to the media.
“The situation of the families without jobs, without income and in the middle of the war, is catastrophic,” Relano said.
She said UNICEF had provided more than 244,000 severely malnourished children under the age of five with therapeutic treatment since the beginning of 2018, in addition to micronutrient treatment to over 317,000 children under five.
“The human cost and the humanitarian impact of this conflict is unjustifiable,” U.N. humanitarian coordinator Lise Grande said in a statement on Thursday.
“Parties to the conflict are obliged to do absolutely everything possible to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and ensure people have access to the aid they are entitled to and need to survive.”
your ad hereFinal Farewell to UN’s Kofi Annan at Ghana State Funeral
World dignitaries laid to rest former UN secretary general Kofi Annan in his native Ghana on Thursday, with calls to keep alive the legacy of a “stubborn optimist” to create a better, more peaceful world.
His widow Nane Maria led hundreds of mourners, including world leaders past and present, traditional rulers and global royalty, and called her husband an “extraordinary” person who had a “joy of life”.
“My love, you are now back home where you started your long journey. But may your wisdom and compassion continue to guide us, wherever we are,” she told his funeral in the capital, Accra.
His son, Kojo, said his father had dedicated his life to the ideals of unity, equality, love, peace and respect.
“The greatest tribute we could ever pay is to follow his example,” he added to conclude a three-hour ceremony of tributes, prayer and song.
Annan led the UN from 1997 to 2006 and was the first from sub-Saharan Africa to do so. He died on August 18 aged 80 at his home in Switzerland after a short illness.
Thousands of ordinary Ghanaians this week paid their final respects as his coffin lay in state during three days of national mourning.
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo called him “one of the truly iconic figures of modern times”.
‘Stubborn optimist’
Many ordinary Ghanaians described him as a father-figure and a source of national pride, while his brother, Kobina, told the congregation that he was not just a leader and statesman.
“We lost a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather and an uncle, a man of deep conviction who was as committed to instilling the values of fairness, integrity, kindness and service in each of us as he was to advocating for peace and human rights around the world,” he said.
“Stubborn optimist that he was, he would want us all to look forward with hope and keep striving to create a freer, fairer and more peaceful world.”
Current UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres praised his close friend as an “exceptional global leader” who was dignified, courageous and a man of “integrity, dynamism and dedication”.
“Kofi Annan was the United Nations and the United Nations was him,” he added.
“As we face the headwinds of our troubled and turbulent times, let us always be inspired by the legacy of Kofi Annan,” he said, adding: “Our world needs it more than ever.”
‘Diplomatic rock star’
Annan, who was originally from Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region in southern Ghana, devoted four decades of his working life to the UN, and was known for bringing quiet charisma to the role.
He was widely credited for raising the world body’s profile in global politics during his two terms in office, facing challenges including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, as the world was reeling from the September 11 terror attacks in the United States, jointly with the UN “for their work for a better organised and more peaceful world”.
Opera singer and UN goodwill ambassador Barbara Hendricks, who performed at his Nobel ceremony, on Thursday sang the civil rights anthem “Oh, Freedom”.
Annan, a proud African, whom Nelson Mandela called “my leader”, left the post as one of the most popular — and recognisable — UN chiefs in history, and was considered a “diplomatic rock star” in international circles.
Global renown
President Akufo-Addo said Annan “brought considerable renown to our country by this position and by his conduct and comportment in the global arena”.
“The outpouring of tributes from the world over is an accurate measure of the man, a man who gave his life to making peace where there was conflict, to defending the voiceless who were powerless, to promoting virtue where there was evil,” he added.
Annan kept up his diplomatic work after leaving office, taking mediation roles in Kenya and Syria, and more recently heading an advisory commission in Myanmar on the crisis in Rakhine state.
He acted as a negotiator between the government and the opposition in Kenya after post-election violence at the end of 2007, leading to the formation of the Grand Coalition government.
As well as Guterres, the funeral was attended by representatives of the African Union, the West African bloc ECOWAS, and presidents from across Africa and beyond.
Royalty included Princess Beatrix, the former queen of the Netherlands, and her daughter-in-law Princess Mabel, who were close friends.
your ad hereFinal Farewell to UN’s Kofi Annan at Ghana State Funeral
World dignitaries laid to rest former UN secretary general Kofi Annan in his native Ghana on Thursday, with calls to keep alive the legacy of a “stubborn optimist” to create a better, more peaceful world.
His widow Nane Maria led hundreds of mourners, including world leaders past and present, traditional rulers and global royalty, and called her husband an “extraordinary” person who had a “joy of life”.
“My love, you are now back home where you started your long journey. But may your wisdom and compassion continue to guide us, wherever we are,” she told his funeral in the capital, Accra.
His son, Kojo, said his father had dedicated his life to the ideals of unity, equality, love, peace and respect.
“The greatest tribute we could ever pay is to follow his example,” he added to conclude a three-hour ceremony of tributes, prayer and song.
Annan led the UN from 1997 to 2006 and was the first from sub-Saharan Africa to do so. He died on August 18 aged 80 at his home in Switzerland after a short illness.
Thousands of ordinary Ghanaians this week paid their final respects as his coffin lay in state during three days of national mourning.
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo called him “one of the truly iconic figures of modern times”.
‘Stubborn optimist’
Many ordinary Ghanaians described him as a father-figure and a source of national pride, while his brother, Kobina, told the congregation that he was not just a leader and statesman.
“We lost a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather and an uncle, a man of deep conviction who was as committed to instilling the values of fairness, integrity, kindness and service in each of us as he was to advocating for peace and human rights around the world,” he said.
“Stubborn optimist that he was, he would want us all to look forward with hope and keep striving to create a freer, fairer and more peaceful world.”
Current UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres praised his close friend as an “exceptional global leader” who was dignified, courageous and a man of “integrity, dynamism and dedication”.
“Kofi Annan was the United Nations and the United Nations was him,” he added.
“As we face the headwinds of our troubled and turbulent times, let us always be inspired by the legacy of Kofi Annan,” he said, adding: “Our world needs it more than ever.”
‘Diplomatic rock star’
Annan, who was originally from Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region in southern Ghana, devoted four decades of his working life to the UN, and was known for bringing quiet charisma to the role.
He was widely credited for raising the world body’s profile in global politics during his two terms in office, facing challenges including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, as the world was reeling from the September 11 terror attacks in the United States, jointly with the UN “for their work for a better organised and more peaceful world”.
Opera singer and UN goodwill ambassador Barbara Hendricks, who performed at his Nobel ceremony, on Thursday sang the civil rights anthem “Oh, Freedom”.
Annan, a proud African, whom Nelson Mandela called “my leader”, left the post as one of the most popular — and recognisable — UN chiefs in history, and was considered a “diplomatic rock star” in international circles.
Global renown
President Akufo-Addo said Annan “brought considerable renown to our country by this position and by his conduct and comportment in the global arena”.
“The outpouring of tributes from the world over is an accurate measure of the man, a man who gave his life to making peace where there was conflict, to defending the voiceless who were powerless, to promoting virtue where there was evil,” he added.
Annan kept up his diplomatic work after leaving office, taking mediation roles in Kenya and Syria, and more recently heading an advisory commission in Myanmar on the crisis in Rakhine state.
He acted as a negotiator between the government and the opposition in Kenya after post-election violence at the end of 2007, leading to the formation of the Grand Coalition government.
As well as Guterres, the funeral was attended by representatives of the African Union, the West African bloc ECOWAS, and presidents from across Africa and beyond.
Royalty included Princess Beatrix, the former queen of the Netherlands, and her daughter-in-law Princess Mabel, who were close friends.
your ad hereSurvey: US Tariffs Hurting American Businesses in China
Even before U.S.-China trade tensions began escalating dramatically, foreign businesses who operate in China were warning about the impact tariffs could have. And now, according to a newly released joint survey from the American Chamber of Commerce in China and AmCham Shanghai, many are already feeling the pinch.
More than 60 percent say the initial $50 billion in tariffs rolled out by the United States and China are having a negative impact on business, increasing the demand of manufacturing and slowing demand for products.
That number is expected to rise to nearly 75 percent if a second round of tariffs, an additional $200 billion in tariffs from Washington and another $60 billion from Beijing, goes ahead.
The administration of President Donald Trump has threatened it could go ahead with $200 billion in tariffs and, if needed, $267 billion more after that.
Unexpected consequences
William Zarit, chairman of AmCham China said while there are expectations in Washington that an additional onslaught of tariffs could force Beijing to wave the white flag, it risks underestimating China’s capability to continue to meet fire with fire, he said.
“It seems that American companies will be more harmed by the American tariffs than they will by the Chinese tariffs. I don’t think that this necessarily is a result that was expected,” Zarit said.
President Trump argues that China is stealing jobs from the United States and not doing enough to address the huge trade deficit between the two economies. The tariffs are seen by proponents as a way of pressuring China to move away from its state-led economy and policies that force technology transfers.
Zaritt said it remains to be seen whether some of the Trump administration’s tactics and tariffs will address big problems, such as Chinese protectionism, state capitalism and other things such as preferential loans and subsidies. He said one key approach that could go a long way to help ease tensions is for the focus to shift toward equal and reciprocal treatment.
“The Chinese have acknowledged that as their economy is evolving away from an export driven/investment driven to a more consumption/domestic demand driven economy, that they really need to open their market. And so, the big question is why would you not do that if it is in your interest?” Zarit said.
Private vs public economy
In Beijing, some have framed the trade tensions as an attempt by the United States to thwart China’s rise. Others, however, have suggested that instead of opening up markets and giving private enterprises more space, the opposite should happen. An article written by Wu Xiaoping, a veteran financier and columnist argues it is time for private enterprises to think about exiting the market.
In the article, he argued China should move toward a large scale centralized private-public mixed economy. He also said the private economy shouldn’t expand blindly.
“The private economy has accomplished its mission to help the public economy develop and it should gradually step aside,” he wrote in the article.
The article has sparked a backlash online and even state media reports have criticized Wu’s views. The fact that the idea was able to circulate so widely before being heavily censored on Thursday is a signal that the government might be sending out a trial balloon.
Others analysts argue the publication of the article could have been motivated by a fear for some that Beijing was preparing to make major concessions.
Zhang Yifan, an associate economics’ professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said despite the widespread criticism, the idea was worrisome.
“President Xi’s government, they believe [in a] strong government,” Zhang said. “So, there is a trend that they strengthen the power of the government and I am worried that market forces will play a smaller and smaller role.”
More trade talks
On Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that both Washington and Beijing are preparing for another possible round of talks and trade negotiations.
A spokesman from the Foreign Ministry welcomed the invitation from Washington and the two were discussing details about the proposed talks. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin invited his counterparts in China along with Vice Premier Liu He to attend the talks, which could happen in the coming weeks.
The fact that higher ranking officials would attend the talks is being seen as a positive sign. The last round of talks were carried by lower-ranking officials.
Joyce Huang contributed to this report
your ad here
Survey: US Tariffs Hurting American Businesses in China
Even before U.S.-China trade tensions began escalating dramatically, foreign businesses who operate in China were warning about the impact tariffs could have. And now, according to a newly released joint survey from the American Chamber of Commerce in China and AmCham Shanghai, many are already feeling the pinch.
More than 60 percent say the initial $50 billion in tariffs rolled out by the United States and China are having a negative impact on business, increasing the demand of manufacturing and slowing demand for products.
That number is expected to rise to nearly 75 percent if a second round of tariffs, an additional $200 billion in tariffs from Washington and another $60 billion from Beijing, goes ahead.
The administration of President Donald Trump has threatened it could go ahead with $200 billion in tariffs and, if needed, $267 billion more after that.
Unexpected consequences
William Zarit, chairman of AmCham China said while there are expectations in Washington that an additional onslaught of tariffs could force Beijing to wave the white flag, it risks underestimating China’s capability to continue to meet fire with fire, he said.
“It seems that American companies will be more harmed by the American tariffs than they will by the Chinese tariffs. I don’t think that this necessarily is a result that was expected,” Zarit said.
President Trump argues that China is stealing jobs from the United States and not doing enough to address the huge trade deficit between the two economies. The tariffs are seen by proponents as a way of pressuring China to move away from its state-led economy and policies that force technology transfers.
Zaritt said it remains to be seen whether some of the Trump administration’s tactics and tariffs will address big problems, such as Chinese protectionism, state capitalism and other things such as preferential loans and subsidies. He said one key approach that could go a long way to help ease tensions is for the focus to shift toward equal and reciprocal treatment.
“The Chinese have acknowledged that as their economy is evolving away from an export driven/investment driven to a more consumption/domestic demand driven economy, that they really need to open their market. And so, the big question is why would you not do that if it is in your interest?” Zarit said.
Private vs public economy
In Beijing, some have framed the trade tensions as an attempt by the United States to thwart China’s rise. Others, however, have suggested that instead of opening up markets and giving private enterprises more space, the opposite should happen. An article written by Wu Xiaoping, a veteran financier and columnist argues it is time for private enterprises to think about exiting the market.
In the article, he argued China should move toward a large scale centralized private-public mixed economy. He also said the private economy shouldn’t expand blindly.
“The private economy has accomplished its mission to help the public economy develop and it should gradually step aside,” he wrote in the article.
The article has sparked a backlash online and even state media reports have criticized Wu’s views. The fact that the idea was able to circulate so widely before being heavily censored on Thursday is a signal that the government might be sending out a trial balloon.
Others analysts argue the publication of the article could have been motivated by a fear for some that Beijing was preparing to make major concessions.
Zhang Yifan, an associate economics’ professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said despite the widespread criticism, the idea was worrisome.
“President Xi’s government, they believe [in a] strong government,” Zhang said. “So, there is a trend that they strengthen the power of the government and I am worried that market forces will play a smaller and smaller role.”
More trade talks
On Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that both Washington and Beijing are preparing for another possible round of talks and trade negotiations.
A spokesman from the Foreign Ministry welcomed the invitation from Washington and the two were discussing details about the proposed talks. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin invited his counterparts in China along with Vice Premier Liu He to attend the talks, which could happen in the coming weeks.
The fact that higher ranking officials would attend the talks is being seen as a positive sign. The last round of talks were carried by lower-ranking officials.
Joyce Huang contributed to this report
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Like a Girl Aims to Level Playing Field for Girls’ Soccer
When Kyle Johnson attended a Minnesota state high school tournament banquet, he noticed something about the top teams.
“On the girls’ side, there was zero diversity at all. There’s no diversity,” Johnson recalls. “I know so many different young women from all different demographics, and they weren’t being represented on that stage.”
Johnson, a half-Chinese and half-Vietnamese soccer coach, was observing the reality of mainstream girls’ football, known as soccer in the United States. It has developed largely as a white, suburban sport that requires athletes to join costly clubs to advance their skills.
“To play in the club system, we really need money,” Johnson said.
The system excludes young women who play on what Johnson refers to as “invisible pitches” — nonclub soccer fields.
Like a Girl founded
Johnson, along with two female colleagues, had coached an inner-city girls’ soccer team in St. Paul. The trio decided to take it a step further.
Two years ago, they founded Like a Girl, a nonprofit organization that offers a soccer and futsal program for daughters of immigrant, refugee and low-income families.
“I know they can play. It’s not a matter of if they can play, it’s just giving them the same opportunities that their peers have,” said Johnson, who used to operate a graphic design business and is now full time with Like a Girl.
“Girls who play on these invisible pitches tend to be girls of color, immigrants, refugees, low-income, and or city-based. We believe that these pitches and the girls who play on them deserve to be seen by others and themselves as real soccer players.”— Like a Girl website
Learning to fail
Like a Girl soccer practice starts with a long car ride. Each player is picked up from her house, apartment or public housing across St. Paul.
“It’s really a wide range of places, so we are going to spend a little time in the car before we are actually going to kick the ball. But the girls are used to it,” Johnson said from behind the wheel.
Without the ride, most of his players could not participate because their parents were unlikely able to drive them.
“Transportation is a big barrier to what we’re trying to do. Many of them don’t have access to transportation for them to play. So, we have two options — that is either I pick them up and they can play, or I don’t pick them up and then they wouldn’t be able to play.”
Johnson pulled his SUV up to a local recreation center where the girls play futsal, a version of football played on a hard, indoor court.
“Because it’s a bit faster game, you really have to develop your technical skills and your creativity. It’s a chance for you to really be able to fail and then learn from it. That’s another big thing that I do is I encourage failure all the time.”
Johnson divides the group into teams for the afternoon’s play. The players run enthusiastically onto the court.
Tenth-grader Hayblute Paw, who was born to Burmese Karen parents in a refugee camp in Thailand, likes that the program improves her soccer skills. But she also said it improves her relationships with the coach and her fellow players.
“We come from, like, the same background,” she said, “and we already know, like, a few things about each other. And we start playing with each other, and then we build on that, and we use that in scrimmages.”
Payoff
Last year, Johnson organized the group’s first college showcase, an event at which college coaches come and watch teams play and scout players.
Only two colleges came, yet, “it was a big success,” Johnson said.
“From that tournament, we had three girls who had no intention of going to college in the fall of 2017. Two weeks after our tournament, they got soccer scholarships to go to college and play and get an education.”
Fresi Thoo is one of the three now attending college.
“Soccer is my favorite sport,” she said. But without Like a Girl, she would not have had an opportunity to develop her skill, and none at all to attend college.
Johnson said Like a Girl has given him a new sense of purpose. The players “are full of life. They are full of energy, and they are a ton of fun to be around,” he said.
He has a different training philosophy from many soccer coaches, believing that just playing for two hours straight is more of a learning opportunity than running drills.
Johnson’s goals for his players are different, too. He is not about winning but about the beauty and creativity of the game. And what he hopes to teach his players is not ultimately about soccer.
“It’s finding out what your passion is and working hard and trying to achieve the biggest goals you can in life.”
…
Like a Girl Aims to Level Playing Field for Girls’ Soccer
When Kyle Johnson attended a Minnesota state high school tournament banquet, he noticed something about the top teams.
“On the girls’ side, there was zero diversity at all. There’s no diversity,” Johnson recalls. “I know so many different young women from all different demographics, and they weren’t being represented on that stage.”
Johnson, a half-Chinese and half-Vietnamese soccer coach, was observing the reality of mainstream girls’ football, known as soccer in the United States. It has developed largely as a white, suburban sport that requires athletes to join costly clubs to advance their skills.
“To play in the club system, we really need money,” Johnson said.
The system excludes young women who play on what Johnson refers to as “invisible pitches” — nonclub soccer fields.
Like a Girl founded
Johnson, along with two female colleagues, had coached an inner-city girls’ soccer team in St. Paul. The trio decided to take it a step further.
Two years ago, they founded Like a Girl, a nonprofit organization that offers a soccer and futsal program for daughters of immigrant, refugee and low-income families.
“I know they can play. It’s not a matter of if they can play, it’s just giving them the same opportunities that their peers have,” said Johnson, who used to operate a graphic design business and is now full time with Like a Girl.
“Girls who play on these invisible pitches tend to be girls of color, immigrants, refugees, low-income, and or city-based. We believe that these pitches and the girls who play on them deserve to be seen by others and themselves as real soccer players.”— Like a Girl website
Learning to fail
Like a Girl soccer practice starts with a long car ride. Each player is picked up from her house, apartment or public housing across St. Paul.
“It’s really a wide range of places, so we are going to spend a little time in the car before we are actually going to kick the ball. But the girls are used to it,” Johnson said from behind the wheel.
Without the ride, most of his players could not participate because their parents were unlikely able to drive them.
“Transportation is a big barrier to what we’re trying to do. Many of them don’t have access to transportation for them to play. So, we have two options — that is either I pick them up and they can play, or I don’t pick them up and then they wouldn’t be able to play.”
Johnson pulled his SUV up to a local recreation center where the girls play futsal, a version of football played on a hard, indoor court.
“Because it’s a bit faster game, you really have to develop your technical skills and your creativity. It’s a chance for you to really be able to fail and then learn from it. That’s another big thing that I do is I encourage failure all the time.”
Johnson divides the group into teams for the afternoon’s play. The players run enthusiastically onto the court.
Tenth-grader Hayblute Paw, who was born to Burmese Karen parents in a refugee camp in Thailand, likes that the program improves her soccer skills. But she also said it improves her relationships with the coach and her fellow players.
“We come from, like, the same background,” she said, “and we already know, like, a few things about each other. And we start playing with each other, and then we build on that, and we use that in scrimmages.”
Payoff
Last year, Johnson organized the group’s first college showcase, an event at which college coaches come and watch teams play and scout players.
Only two colleges came, yet, “it was a big success,” Johnson said.
“From that tournament, we had three girls who had no intention of going to college in the fall of 2017. Two weeks after our tournament, they got soccer scholarships to go to college and play and get an education.”
Fresi Thoo is one of the three now attending college.
“Soccer is my favorite sport,” she said. But without Like a Girl, she would not have had an opportunity to develop her skill, and none at all to attend college.
Johnson said Like a Girl has given him a new sense of purpose. The players “are full of life. They are full of energy, and they are a ton of fun to be around,” he said.
He has a different training philosophy from many soccer coaches, believing that just playing for two hours straight is more of a learning opportunity than running drills.
Johnson’s goals for his players are different, too. He is not about winning but about the beauty and creativity of the game. And what he hopes to teach his players is not ultimately about soccer.
“It’s finding out what your passion is and working hard and trying to achieve the biggest goals you can in life.”
…
US, Cuba to Meet on ‘Health Attacks’ on Diplomats
U.S. and Cuban officials will meet Thursday in an effort to determine the method and motive behind mystery incidents in Havana that have injured American diplomats.
The meeting comes amid widespread frustration among national security agencies and in Congress at the lack of answers about what the U.S. describes as “health attacks” that began nearly two years ago and affected some two dozen people, including some diagnosed with brain damage. It also comes amid a flurry of reports suggesting investigators have narrowed their suspicions as to the cause and culprit.
The department said Thursday’s meeting is “part of our ongoing effort to investigate and better understand the health conditions of our diplomats.” It said the Cuban delegation would “receive a general medical briefing about the injuries experienced by U.S. personnel who served in Havana.”
Downplaying microwaves
The State Department has downplayed or denied reports that investigators have focused on a microwave device as the source of the attacks and that Russia is the leading suspect. The reports have also raised protests from Cuba, which does not dispute the symptoms but insists there is no evidence to support any assertion that they were caused by premeditated attacks on its soil.
Twenty-five U.S. Embassy workers in Cuba, as well as one at the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou, China, have been affected by mysterious health incidents, suffering a range of symptoms and diagnoses including mild traumatic brain injury, also known as concussion, that began in the fall of 2016.
The last case from Havana was confirmed in June, when the department said two embassy staffers had been affected in a single occurrence in late May in a diplomatic residence at which both officers were present. Those were the first confirmed cases in Havana since August 2017.
Cuba and China
One U.S. official said Thursday’s meeting was organized after Cuba complained that Washington has been withholding key details about the affected Americans’ medical conditions. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. But, in congressional testimony last week, State Department medical personnel suggested they had shared more information with China about the incident in Guangzhou than they had with the Cubans about the incidents in Havana.
Officials at the Cuban Embassy in Washington, who have repeatedly denounced the U.S. accusations as politically motivated and unproven, has no immediate comment.
Several officials from the State Department and other agencies involved in the U.S. investigation last week testified before a House Foreign Affairs Committee panel but were unable to provide any new information about the probe and its potential findings. In two closed-door, classified briefings with congressional aides and lawmakers, the officials repeated that they had not come to any conclusions about what caused the injuries or who might be responsible for them.
Initial speculation had centered on some type of sonic attack, owing to strange sounds heard by those affected, but an interim FBI report in January found no evidence that sound waves could have caused the damage.
…
US, Cuba to Meet on ‘Health Attacks’ on Diplomats
U.S. and Cuban officials will meet Thursday in an effort to determine the method and motive behind mystery incidents in Havana that have injured American diplomats.
The meeting comes amid widespread frustration among national security agencies and in Congress at the lack of answers about what the U.S. describes as “health attacks” that began nearly two years ago and affected some two dozen people, including some diagnosed with brain damage. It also comes amid a flurry of reports suggesting investigators have narrowed their suspicions as to the cause and culprit.
The department said Thursday’s meeting is “part of our ongoing effort to investigate and better understand the health conditions of our diplomats.” It said the Cuban delegation would “receive a general medical briefing about the injuries experienced by U.S. personnel who served in Havana.”
Downplaying microwaves
The State Department has downplayed or denied reports that investigators have focused on a microwave device as the source of the attacks and that Russia is the leading suspect. The reports have also raised protests from Cuba, which does not dispute the symptoms but insists there is no evidence to support any assertion that they were caused by premeditated attacks on its soil.
Twenty-five U.S. Embassy workers in Cuba, as well as one at the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou, China, have been affected by mysterious health incidents, suffering a range of symptoms and diagnoses including mild traumatic brain injury, also known as concussion, that began in the fall of 2016.
The last case from Havana was confirmed in June, when the department said two embassy staffers had been affected in a single occurrence in late May in a diplomatic residence at which both officers were present. Those were the first confirmed cases in Havana since August 2017.
Cuba and China
One U.S. official said Thursday’s meeting was organized after Cuba complained that Washington has been withholding key details about the affected Americans’ medical conditions. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. But, in congressional testimony last week, State Department medical personnel suggested they had shared more information with China about the incident in Guangzhou than they had with the Cubans about the incidents in Havana.
Officials at the Cuban Embassy in Washington, who have repeatedly denounced the U.S. accusations as politically motivated and unproven, has no immediate comment.
Several officials from the State Department and other agencies involved in the U.S. investigation last week testified before a House Foreign Affairs Committee panel but were unable to provide any new information about the probe and its potential findings. In two closed-door, classified briefings with congressional aides and lawmakers, the officials repeated that they had not come to any conclusions about what caused the injuries or who might be responsible for them.
Initial speculation had centered on some type of sonic attack, owing to strange sounds heard by those affected, but an interim FBI report in January found no evidence that sound waves could have caused the damage.
…
Trump and Obama Face Off in Midterm Battle
For former U.S. president Barack Obama, it must seem like old times. Obama has started to hit the campaign trail on behalf of Democrats ahead of the November midterm elections, setting up what amounts to a proxy battle with the man who succeeded him, President Donald Trump.
Trump already has been a fixture on the campaign trail on behalf of Republicans, convinced that aggressive efforts in Republican-leaning states will protect Republican majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Obama’s initial foray into the 2018 congressional campaign came at the University of Illinois where he urged young Democrats to keep up the fight for social and economic justice.
“Each time we have gotten closer to those ideals, somebody somewhere has pushed back,” Obama said. “It did not start with Donald Trump. He is a symptom, not the cause. He is just capitalizing on resentment that politicians have been fanning for years.”
Get out the vote
Obama also campaigned in California on behalf of several Democratic House candidates, where he urged activists to turn out and vote in November.
“When we are not participating, when we are not paying attention, when we are not stepping up, other voices fill the void,” Obama told a Democratic gathering in Anaheim. “But the good news in two months, we have a chance to restore some sanity in our politics.”
Obama now finds himself competing against the man who succeeded him, President Trump, and who has vowed to undo much of what Obama did during his presidency.
Touting the economy
For his part, Trump has been eager to get out on the campaign trail and has promised a vigorous effort to energize Republican voters to keep their congressional majorities in November.
“This election is about jobs. It is safety and it is jobs,” Trump said at a recent Republican rally in Billings, Montana. “Thanks to Republican leadership, our economy is booming like never before in our history. Think of it, in our history. Nobody knew this was going to happen.”
Trump also is stoking fear among his Republican supporters that a Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives in November could lead to his impeachment.
“We will worry about that if it ever happens,” he told the crowd in Billings. “But if it does happen, it is your fault because you did not go out to vote. OK? You didn’t go out to vote.”
Referendum on Trump
Midterm elections are historically unkind to sitting presidents. But unlike many of his predecessors, Trump has embraced the notion that the November congressional vote will be a referendum on his presidency.
Political analysts said that strategy carries both risk and reward.
“The enthusiasm on both sides of the aisle is really related to the president,” said George Washington University political scientist Lara Brown. “I think the last numbers I saw were that more than 40 percent of people who said that they would be very likely to vote were going to be either voting for the president or against the president in this midterm.”
Trump and Obama already have jousted over who should get credit for the strong U.S. economy. At his rallies, Trump touts economic growth and job creation numbers since he took over the presidency, arguing that the national economy is “booming like never before.”
Obama has offered some pushback on the campaign trail.
“Let’s just remember when this recovery started,” Obama said in his Illinois speech, highlighting job growth during his White House years as part of the recovery from the 2008 recession.
Head-to-head battle
Like Trump, Obama also has proved to be a lightning rod for voters. The 44th president was effective in two presidential campaigns at turning out Democrats but was a drag on the party in his two midterm elections, spurring Republicans to turn out against him.
During this year’s midterm, Obama is likely to focus on mobilizing women, younger activists and nonwhite voters, key parts of the Democratic coalition that helped him win the White House in 2008 and 2012.
“That enthusiasm is there throughout the Democratic Party and across demographic groups,” said Brookings Institution scholar John Hudak. “And for the first time many voters are going to see options on their ballot that look and sound and talk about issues in different ways, and that is always something that is appealing to a voter base.”
Trump and Obama may never appear as opposing candidates on a ballot together, but they are facing off in a closely watched proxy battle in this year’s midterm campaign where party control of Congress is at stake.
…
Trump and Obama Face Off in Midterm Battle
For former U.S. president Barack Obama, it must seem like old times. Obama has started to hit the campaign trail on behalf of Democrats ahead of the November midterm elections, setting up what amounts to a proxy battle with the man who succeeded him, President Donald Trump.
Trump already has been a fixture on the campaign trail on behalf of Republicans, convinced that aggressive efforts in Republican-leaning states will protect Republican majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Obama’s initial foray into the 2018 congressional campaign came at the University of Illinois where he urged young Democrats to keep up the fight for social and economic justice.
“Each time we have gotten closer to those ideals, somebody somewhere has pushed back,” Obama said. “It did not start with Donald Trump. He is a symptom, not the cause. He is just capitalizing on resentment that politicians have been fanning for years.”
Get out the vote
Obama also campaigned in California on behalf of several Democratic House candidates, where he urged activists to turn out and vote in November.
“When we are not participating, when we are not paying attention, when we are not stepping up, other voices fill the void,” Obama told a Democratic gathering in Anaheim. “But the good news in two months, we have a chance to restore some sanity in our politics.”
Obama now finds himself competing against the man who succeeded him, President Trump, and who has vowed to undo much of what Obama did during his presidency.
Touting the economy
For his part, Trump has been eager to get out on the campaign trail and has promised a vigorous effort to energize Republican voters to keep their congressional majorities in November.
“This election is about jobs. It is safety and it is jobs,” Trump said at a recent Republican rally in Billings, Montana. “Thanks to Republican leadership, our economy is booming like never before in our history. Think of it, in our history. Nobody knew this was going to happen.”
Trump also is stoking fear among his Republican supporters that a Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives in November could lead to his impeachment.
“We will worry about that if it ever happens,” he told the crowd in Billings. “But if it does happen, it is your fault because you did not go out to vote. OK? You didn’t go out to vote.”
Referendum on Trump
Midterm elections are historically unkind to sitting presidents. But unlike many of his predecessors, Trump has embraced the notion that the November congressional vote will be a referendum on his presidency.
Political analysts said that strategy carries both risk and reward.
“The enthusiasm on both sides of the aisle is really related to the president,” said George Washington University political scientist Lara Brown. “I think the last numbers I saw were that more than 40 percent of people who said that they would be very likely to vote were going to be either voting for the president or against the president in this midterm.”
Trump and Obama already have jousted over who should get credit for the strong U.S. economy. At his rallies, Trump touts economic growth and job creation numbers since he took over the presidency, arguing that the national economy is “booming like never before.”
Obama has offered some pushback on the campaign trail.
“Let’s just remember when this recovery started,” Obama said in his Illinois speech, highlighting job growth during his White House years as part of the recovery from the 2008 recession.
Head-to-head battle
Like Trump, Obama also has proved to be a lightning rod for voters. The 44th president was effective in two presidential campaigns at turning out Democrats but was a drag on the party in his two midterm elections, spurring Republicans to turn out against him.
During this year’s midterm, Obama is likely to focus on mobilizing women, younger activists and nonwhite voters, key parts of the Democratic coalition that helped him win the White House in 2008 and 2012.
“That enthusiasm is there throughout the Democratic Party and across demographic groups,” said Brookings Institution scholar John Hudak. “And for the first time many voters are going to see options on their ballot that look and sound and talk about issues in different ways, and that is always something that is appealing to a voter base.”
Trump and Obama may never appear as opposing candidates on a ballot together, but they are facing off in a closely watched proxy battle in this year’s midterm campaign where party control of Congress is at stake.
…
Trump and Obama Face Off in Midterm Battle
Former President Barack Obama has re-entered the U.S. political scene, hitting the campaign trail on behalf of Democrats hoping to wrest control of Congress away from Republicans in November’s midterm elections. Obama now finds himself in a proxy battle with the man who succeeded him, President Donald Trump, as they both seek to energize their respective parties. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.
…
Trump and Obama Face Off in Midterm Battle
Former President Barack Obama has re-entered the U.S. political scene, hitting the campaign trail on behalf of Democrats hoping to wrest control of Congress away from Republicans in November’s midterm elections. Obama now finds himself in a proxy battle with the man who succeeded him, President Donald Trump, as they both seek to energize their respective parties. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.
…
Renoir Stolen by Nazis Returned to Jewish Family
A Renoir masterpiece stolen by the Nazis in World War II is back in the hands of the Jewish family who owned it.
Sylvie Sulitzer, granddaughter of the original owner, received the painting, “Two Women in a Garden,” at a ceremony Wednesday at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York.
“I’m very thankful to be able to show my beloved family, wherever they are, that after all they’ve been thorough, there is a justice,” Sulitzer said.
“Two Women in a Garden” was among the last works Renoir painted before he died in 1919.
Sulitzer’s grandfather, famed art collector Alfred Weinberger, stashed the painting with the rest of his collection in a Paris bank vault before fleeing the Nazis, who occupied Paris in 1940.
Weinberger tried but failed to recover his collection after the war.
The Renoir painting was bought and sold several times over the next 70 years, traveling to South Africa, Switzerland and London before finally being put up for auction in New York in 2013.
Christie’s Auction House suspected the work may have been stolen by the Nazis and contacted the FBI, who contacted Sulitzer in France.
She has told the French News Agency that five other works from her grandfather’s collection still need to be recovered. They include four other Renoirs.
“We’ll never forget. We can’t forget. But it’s very important that we, me as a human being, as a Jewish person, to consider that you have people who work for justice,” she said.
…
Renoir Stolen by Nazis Returned to Jewish Family
A Renoir masterpiece stolen by the Nazis in World War II is back in the hands of the Jewish family who owned it.
Sylvie Sulitzer, granddaughter of the original owner, received the painting, “Two Women in a Garden,” at a ceremony Wednesday at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York.
“I’m very thankful to be able to show my beloved family, wherever they are, that after all they’ve been thorough, there is a justice,” Sulitzer said.
“Two Women in a Garden” was among the last works Renoir painted before he died in 1919.
Sulitzer’s grandfather, famed art collector Alfred Weinberger, stashed the painting with the rest of his collection in a Paris bank vault before fleeing the Nazis, who occupied Paris in 1940.
Weinberger tried but failed to recover his collection after the war.
The Renoir painting was bought and sold several times over the next 70 years, traveling to South Africa, Switzerland and London before finally being put up for auction in New York in 2013.
Christie’s Auction House suspected the work may have been stolen by the Nazis and contacted the FBI, who contacted Sulitzer in France.
She has told the French News Agency that five other works from her grandfather’s collection still need to be recovered. They include four other Renoirs.
“We’ll never forget. We can’t forget. But it’s very important that we, me as a human being, as a Jewish person, to consider that you have people who work for justice,” she said.
…
Ugandan Politician Confronts Diplomat Over Torture Allegations
Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has confronted Uganda’s ambassador to the United States about Wine’s recent arrest and alleged torture, but many Ugandans did not get to see the interview because of a power outage.
VOA’s Straight Talk Africa radio program on Wednesday featured the pop star-turned-politician, whose given name is Robert Kyagulanyi, and Ugandan Ambassador to the United States Mull Sebujja Katende.
On Aug. 14, Wine was accused of attacking the convoy of longtime President Yoweri Museveni during clashes between opposition supporters and supporters of the government. Wine says police fatally shot his driver, Yasin Kawuma, that day, mistaking him for Wine.
The next day, Wine and 33 others were arrested, “including four members of parliament,” he said.
Rights group Amnesty International reported they were charged with treason.
Wine says that he and the other detainees were brutally beaten and that some sustained permanent injuries or are still in the hospital. He was later released and permitted to travel to the U.S. for medical treatment.
Asked by VOA’s Shaka Ssali whether he believed Wine had been tortured, Katende said, “Uganda does not condone torture.” He also said there is no crisis in Uganda, only isolated incidents of criminality. He added, “Uganda remains committed to the tenets of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights.”
Wine responded, “The criminality is not being carried out by Ugandan citizens. it is actually being carried out by the armed forces. … If that’s not criminality, I wonder what it is.”
Wine said the men who beat him belonged to a section of the Ugandan military charged with guarding the president.
“I was beaten, kept in handcuffs. A lot of despicable things were done to me. But I’m here, and I’m still alive,” he said.
While the interview was live-streaming, Uganda’s power authority tweeted that power had gone out “in most areas” because of a system failure.
Some Ugandans tweeted back to accuse the company of causing the power failure to deny them access to the VOA program.
“Seems they don’t want us watch bobiwine on tv,” one person tweeted.
Another said, “This power blackout is political.”
Power was restored later in the evening.
Earlier this week, Wine held a news conference to ask the United States to stop sending military aid to Uganda.
…
Ugandan Politician Confronts Diplomat Over Torture Allegations
Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has confronted Uganda’s ambassador to the United States about Wine’s recent arrest and alleged torture, but many Ugandans did not get to see the interview because of a power outage.
VOA’s Straight Talk Africa radio program on Wednesday featured the pop star-turned-politician, whose given name is Robert Kyagulanyi, and Ugandan Ambassador to the United States Mull Sebujja Katende.
On Aug. 14, Wine was accused of attacking the convoy of longtime President Yoweri Museveni during clashes between opposition supporters and supporters of the government. Wine says police fatally shot his driver, Yasin Kawuma, that day, mistaking him for Wine.
The next day, Wine and 33 others were arrested, “including four members of parliament,” he said.
Rights group Amnesty International reported they were charged with treason.
Wine says that he and the other detainees were brutally beaten and that some sustained permanent injuries or are still in the hospital. He was later released and permitted to travel to the U.S. for medical treatment.
Asked by VOA’s Shaka Ssali whether he believed Wine had been tortured, Katende said, “Uganda does not condone torture.” He also said there is no crisis in Uganda, only isolated incidents of criminality. He added, “Uganda remains committed to the tenets of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights.”
Wine responded, “The criminality is not being carried out by Ugandan citizens. it is actually being carried out by the armed forces. … If that’s not criminality, I wonder what it is.”
Wine said the men who beat him belonged to a section of the Ugandan military charged with guarding the president.
“I was beaten, kept in handcuffs. A lot of despicable things were done to me. But I’m here, and I’m still alive,” he said.
While the interview was live-streaming, Uganda’s power authority tweeted that power had gone out “in most areas” because of a system failure.
Some Ugandans tweeted back to accuse the company of causing the power failure to deny them access to the VOA program.
“Seems they don’t want us watch bobiwine on tv,” one person tweeted.
Another said, “This power blackout is political.”
Power was restored later in the evening.
Earlier this week, Wine held a news conference to ask the United States to stop sending military aid to Uganda.
…
Syrian-American Spreads Peace Through Music, Art
Dozens of colorful pianos are available for the public to play and enjoy this month in several parks in Atlanta, Georgia, during the second annual festival of Pianos for Peace festival, which runs through Sept. 22.
Founded by Syrian-American composer and pianist Malek Jandali, the festival aims to celebrate diversity and help engage people in civil dialogue.
“It is a true symphony for peace that celebrates our diversity. When we get to know our neighbors, we realize how much we have in common, and that leads to strength, peace and unity in our communities,” Jandali told VOA.
The festival is part of the Pianos for Peace charity, which Jandali founded in 2015 with the goal of building peace and harmony through music and education.
According to the festival’s volunteers — over 1,000 artists, educators, musicians, filmmakers and piano technicians — the community has responded positively to their initiative. Organizers hope to receive similar feedback this year as well.
The Pianos for Peace charity collaborates with the Fulton County Arts and Culture Center, the city of Atlanta and the Atlanta public school system, among others, and relies on funds raised by the community.
The organization plans to expand its peace-building work to art projects and support different art programs in the city.
“It’s about beauty, truth and preserving our shared American and human values,” Jandali said.
Color and sound
The coloring of pianos represents the diversity of the communities in Atlanta. Artists and other members of the community participated in coloring the pianos.
“Not only does the instrument itself become a beautiful, unique work of art, it helps to start a conversation, a dialogue that unites people and encourages them to sit at the bench and listen to each other while playing or singing together,” Jandali told VOA.
The campaign also has its own application that will help locals and visitors see pictures of the colored pianos and learn about the artists.
Once the festival ends, all pianos will be donated to schools, community centers, nursing homes, rehab centers and other organizations of underserved communities.
The organizers hope to distribute about 100 pianos by the end of the year.
“Last year, thousands of Atlantans and visitors were able to enjoy the pianos, and we hear from so many people who say that stumbling across a beautifully painted piano in a park or train station or community center reignited their passion for music, and also encouraged them to become more active in their local communities,” Jandali told VOA.
Syrian children
Jandali said he advocates for building a better future for children and embraces young talent. He has personal reasons for helping children.
“When I was a child in my hometown [in Syria], I did not have access to a piano for lessons, and had to travel several hours every week just to practice with my professor. It broke my heart to see students across metro Atlanta who did not have access to music,” Jandali said.
Jandali wrote a number of symphonies supporting Syrian children’s plea for a better life and future during the past seven years of violence in the country. Syria’s civil war has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians, including children, and has forced millions of others to leave the country.
“Everyone deserves to live in peace, and I am blessed to be able to use my music as a platform to share that message around the world. The Syrian children deserve to live in peace rather than rest in peace, and it’s my duty to serve and give back to that community as well,” Jandali said.
Jandali is a well-known musician in Atlanta and in his hometown of Homs. He has produced several symphonies in an attempt to preserve the culture and history of Syria and promote diversity in the country.
In 2009, he produced Echoes from Ugarit, the first arrangement of the oldest music notation in the world. The musical notation was inscribed on clay tablets found in Ugarit, a historical site in western Syria.
…
Syrian-American Spreads Peace Through Music, Art
Dozens of colorful pianos are available for the public to play and enjoy this month in several parks in Atlanta, Georgia, during the second annual festival of Pianos for Peace festival, which runs through Sept. 22.
Founded by Syrian-American composer and pianist Malek Jandali, the festival aims to celebrate diversity and help engage people in civil dialogue.
“It is a true symphony for peace that celebrates our diversity. When we get to know our neighbors, we realize how much we have in common, and that leads to strength, peace and unity in our communities,” Jandali told VOA.
The festival is part of the Pianos for Peace charity, which Jandali founded in 2015 with the goal of building peace and harmony through music and education.
According to the festival’s volunteers — over 1,000 artists, educators, musicians, filmmakers and piano technicians — the community has responded positively to their initiative. Organizers hope to receive similar feedback this year as well.
The Pianos for Peace charity collaborates with the Fulton County Arts and Culture Center, the city of Atlanta and the Atlanta public school system, among others, and relies on funds raised by the community.
The organization plans to expand its peace-building work to art projects and support different art programs in the city.
“It’s about beauty, truth and preserving our shared American and human values,” Jandali said.
Color and sound
The coloring of pianos represents the diversity of the communities in Atlanta. Artists and other members of the community participated in coloring the pianos.
“Not only does the instrument itself become a beautiful, unique work of art, it helps to start a conversation, a dialogue that unites people and encourages them to sit at the bench and listen to each other while playing or singing together,” Jandali told VOA.
The campaign also has its own application that will help locals and visitors see pictures of the colored pianos and learn about the artists.
Once the festival ends, all pianos will be donated to schools, community centers, nursing homes, rehab centers and other organizations of underserved communities.
The organizers hope to distribute about 100 pianos by the end of the year.
“Last year, thousands of Atlantans and visitors were able to enjoy the pianos, and we hear from so many people who say that stumbling across a beautifully painted piano in a park or train station or community center reignited their passion for music, and also encouraged them to become more active in their local communities,” Jandali told VOA.
Syrian children
Jandali said he advocates for building a better future for children and embraces young talent. He has personal reasons for helping children.
“When I was a child in my hometown [in Syria], I did not have access to a piano for lessons, and had to travel several hours every week just to practice with my professor. It broke my heart to see students across metro Atlanta who did not have access to music,” Jandali said.
Jandali wrote a number of symphonies supporting Syrian children’s plea for a better life and future during the past seven years of violence in the country. Syria’s civil war has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians, including children, and has forced millions of others to leave the country.
“Everyone deserves to live in peace, and I am blessed to be able to use my music as a platform to share that message around the world. The Syrian children deserve to live in peace rather than rest in peace, and it’s my duty to serve and give back to that community as well,” Jandali said.
Jandali is a well-known musician in Atlanta and in his hometown of Homs. He has produced several symphonies in an attempt to preserve the culture and history of Syria and promote diversity in the country.
In 2009, he produced Echoes from Ugarit, the first arrangement of the oldest music notation in the world. The musical notation was inscribed on clay tablets found in Ugarit, a historical site in western Syria.
…
South Sudan’s President, Rebel Leader Sign Peace Deal
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir signed a peace agreement with rebel factions in the Ethiopian capital on Wednesday to end a civil war that has killed at least 50,000 people, displaced 2 million and held up the country’s progress since it gained independence seven years ago.
South Sudan plunged into warfare two years after independence from Sudan in 2011, when a political dispute between Kiir and then vice president Riek Machar erupted into armed confrontation.
A previous peace deal signed in 2015 fell apart a year later, after clashes broke out between government forces and rebels. Machar, leader of the main rebel group the SPLM-IO, and other insurgent factions signed the new agreement with the Juba government after assurances that a power-sharing accord would be honored. The deal, mediated by Sudan, reinstates Machar to his former role as vice president.
The stability of South Sudan is also important for Sudan and other neighboring countries, whose leaders fear a new flare up of the conflict could flood them with refugees.
The civil war started in 2013, fueled by personal and ethnic rivalries. The conflict has killed at least 50,000 people, many of them civilians, according to the United Nations.
An estimated quarter of South Sudan’s population of 12 million has been displaced and its economy, which heavily relies on crude oil production, ruined.
The secession of South Sudan also hit Khartoum’s economy hard, taking with it most of the region’s oil reserves. Khartoum and Juba agreed in June to repair oil infrastructure facilities destroyed by the war within three months to boost production and said a joint force would be established to protect oilfields from attacks by rebels.
The United States, Britain and Norway, known as the Troika which back peace efforts, welcomed the signing of the deal.
“We hope discussions will remain open to those who are not yet convinced of the sustainability of this agreement,” they said in a statement. “We must seize this broader regional momentum to secure peace for the people of South Sudan.”
Mahboub Maalim, executive secretary of the East African bloc IGAD, said the rivals had been at odds over security arrangements and governance but that the final version of the deal had addressed disagreements.
“This is probably the best-negotiated proposal signed so far,” he told Reuters after it was signed at a meeting of IGAD leaders.
Asked what a failure to implement the deal would entail, Maalim said: “We expect the South Sudanese sides to embrace the wind of change in the region.”
The region has seen a series of stunning rapprochements over the past months, including a reconciliation between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
IGAD had been expected to readmit Eritrea as a member on Wednesday, 11 years after Asmara walked out on the body in protest at Ethiopian forces entering Somalia. But that move was postponed for procedural reasons and was likely to take place in the bloc’s next gathering, officials said.
…