Kazan hosts peace festival
Published 01 September, 2008, 06:18
While tensions run high on the political stage, a small venue in the Russian city of Kazan has brought together musicians from very different cultural backgrounds. Georgian-Ossetian and Israeli-Palestinian duos are united in the language of music at a festival called ‘The Creation of Peace’.
Irina Tomaeva is from North Ossetia and Eteri Beriashvili is Georgian. Political strife at home didn't stop them from sharing the stage and singing a song in the name of peace.
“Musicians have no nationality, music is a universal language that needs no translation,” said Irina.
It is a belief that all her fellow musicians at the festival share.
“Before coming here, I watched the news a bit too much, and I got anxious about taking part. But as soon as I got on the plane I felt relaxed,” said Eteri.
The new rock festival called ‘The Creation Of Peace’ is meant to do just that – it brings together artists from different cultures, religions and musical styles to send out a message of peace and tolerance. The performers want to show that music is above ethnic or religious differences.
Organiser Andrey Makarevich, a cult figure among Russian musicians, believes music is often more effective than politics.
“Musicians – we are like children. We believe in easy yet important things like peace, love and music,” said Makarevich.
American rock legend Patti Smith will take home snapshots of Kazan, but what she wants the audience to leave the concert with is a feeling of unity.
“All of us really would like to see a more harmonious world. But to talk about it as rhetoric, as words, sometimes means nothing. We have to act on this,” she said.
It’s no coincidence the city of Kazan was chosen to host the festival
A true melting pot of cultures and people, in Kazan peace and tolerance are more than just words. It’s a city where East meets West, ethnic Tatars and Russians live side by side and one of Europe's largest mosques is a stone's throw away from an Orthodox Christian cathedral.
With their fusion of cultures and languages, the stars rocked the crowd till dusk, ending with the Beatles' legendary message of peace, “All you need is love”.
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