16
November
2009
Music lovers flocked to the Maronite Cathedral of St. George in Downtown Beirut, Lebanon, last week to attend a special classical concert held on the occasion of the 35th Anniversary of ESCWA. The Commission’s Executive Secretary, Bader AlDafa, and the German Foundation Podium Junger Musiker had jointly extended the invitation to a concert entitled "Orient Meets Occident: the Arabian Passion according to J. S. Bach."
The concert was attended by representatives of the top three Lebanese leaders, with Information Minister Tarek Mitri representing the Lebanese President, MP Hagop Pakradonian representing the House Speaker and MP Bassem al Shab representing the Prime Minister. Also attending the event was Bishop Boulos Matar representing Patriarch Mar Nasrallah Sfeir, along with a host of political, diplomatic, economic, artistic and cultural figures, and UN staff.
"Music is what remains in life. It is the language of all. Through it, peoples and nations rise, and with it, immortal images are painted throughout time," said AlDafa, quoting French novelist Leon Bloy, at the opening of the concert to which 36 musicians and four singers lent their talents.
"Peace is unquestionably what each one of us aspires to. For it to become a solid reality in our lives, and a culture for the coming generations, peace should blossom under the umbrella of economic, social and cultural development. Such was the message of ESCWA, ever since its inception in this precious region. The concert is part of a series of activities ESCWA is organizing to celebrate its 35th Anniversary. Earlier this month, the regional commission opened an exhibition at the UNESCO palace in Beirut for a group of pioneer Lebanese painters whose creative works helped maintain a colorful presence for their country on the Arab and international cultural scenes. The coming month, ESCWA will inaugurate another exhibit for talented UN staff who will display paintings, sculptures, photographs and other forms of artistic expression," AlDafa said in his address.
The head of the German Foundation Podium Junger Musiker, Willy Rellecke, commended for his part the cultural exchanges between East and West, emphasizing the significant contribution of music to breaking down borders, in a reference to the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, which Germany and Europe recently celebrated.
The orchestra, directed by Valdimir Ivanoff, performed a great variety of pieces brilliantly mixing eastern with western tunes and melodies.