ZOHRA – THE AFGHAN WOMEN’S ORCHESTRA WINNER OF THE 2017 FREEMUSE AWARD

Das afghanische Frauen-Orchester Zohra erhält den diesjährigen Freemuse-Award. Freemuse ist eine dänische NonProfit-Organisation, die sich weltweit gegen Musikzensur und die Verfolgung von Musikschaffenden einsetzt. Zohra trat kürzlich am WEF in Davos und in der Tonhalle Zürich auf. Der Preis wird morgen Mittwoch, 25. Januar 2017, in Genf übergeben.

Foto: © http://freemuse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Zohra_conductor_A4-in-300dpi.jpg

The students of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) defy the odds against them as the first women in their families, community and country to learn music in over 30 years.

«With exceptional courage and dedication these young women are breaking new ground and have become important role models for any Afghan welcoming the return of music and the rights to exercise and take part in cultural life.»

The Freemuse Award motivation

The Freemuse Award will be presented at a concert with Zohra in Geneva on Wednesday 25 January 2017 by Freemuse co-founder Marie Korpe.

«A small miracle»

«Zohra is a small miracle,» says Freemuse Executive Director Ole Reitov. «By giving the award to Zohra, Freemuse is also acknowledging the ground-breaking work of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music founded by Dr Ahmad Sarmast.»

Freemuse has a long history of documenting the situation for musicians in Afghanistan. The first ever Freemuse report, ‚Can you stop the birds singing? – The censorship of music in Afghanistan‘ was published in 2001 and described how the people of Afghanistan under Taliban rule were subjected to an extreme form of music censorship.

Previous Freemuse Award winners include Lavon Volski from Belarus, Ramy Essam from Egypt, Festival of the Desert from Mali and the American folk-legend Pete Seeger.

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More / Mehr:

http://freemuse.org/archives/13407

http://www.srf.ch/kultur/musik/musik-ist-nichts-fuer-maedchen-oh-doch-zeigt-dieses-orchester

https://www.rts.ch/info/culture/musiques/8321863-zohra-premier-orchestre-de-femmes-afghanes-a-jouer-a-l-etranger.html

Videos:

Afghan Women’s Orchestra «Zohra» – Shad Kon Jan-e-Man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce1xjdTB4qo

‪The Afghan Womens Orchestra «Zohra» at Davos 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aveHmTuVZh4

Kontakt:

http://www.centredesarts.ch/en/events/afghan-womens-orchestra-zohra

http://freemuse.org/archives/13407