If music is a tool for social change, bring it on
View(s):A festival of panel discussions and performances on July 29
By Kaveesha Fernando
Can music bring about social change? On July 29, artists, academics and activists from different parts of the country, will gather to discuss how music has been used in Sri Lanka to comment on, question and challenge accepted beliefs.
Music has always been an outlet for people to express themselves without being penalised. All across Sri Lanka, music has historically been used to raise awareness and challenge existing values and beliefs, but discussions of the role of music in social change have been rare. This festival of music for social change titled ‘Sangeetham” organised by the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES) together with GIZ – to be held at the ICES through panel discussions and performances, looks to bring together people interested in the subject and open avenues for discussion.
The International Centre for Ethnic Studies engages in academic research, advocacy on key policy matters and endeavours to create a critical mass of people who believe in cultural pluralism and tolerance, while the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)-run project Facilitating Initiatives for Social Cohesion & Transformation (FLICT) is a bilateral cooperation programme between Sri Lanka and Germany. The programme is implemented by GIZ on behalf of German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in collaboration with its Sri Lankan counterpart, the Ministry of National Co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages. Through facilitating collaboration between State, civil society and the private sector, FLICT works at all levels of society to put into practice, initiatives contributing towards a socially integrated, reconciled and harmonious Sri Lanka where diversity, equality and democracy is promoted.
The project stemmed from an idea Director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies Mario Gomez had of exploring music which had been used as a form of resistance for social change. The festival is curated by Dinushka Jayawickreme, Nadine Vanniasinkam and Johann Peiris. Dinushka and Nadine are programme officers for the ICES project ‘Building Resilient Communities’, while Johann is a programme officer in the cultural unit of the GIZ-FLICT. Dinushka and Nadine travelled across the island building relationships with various artists and activists, some of whom will take part in the event.
The event is divided into two panel discussions followed by performances. The panel discussions will be conducted in Sinhala, Tamil and English with simultaneous translations. The first discussion will see Prof. Sitralega Maunaguru, Prof. M.S.M. Anes, Ravibandu Vidyapathi, K. Vimalanathan, G. Athputhan discuss ‘Calling for Change – Histories of Music for Social Change in Sri Lanka’. It will be moderated by Ramla Waheeb.
The second discussion will be on, ‘Challenging the Status Quo – the Art of Socially Conscious Music in Contemporary Sri Lanka’ with panelists Dr. S. Jeykumar, Nadeeka Guruge, Dr. Sumathy Sivamohan, Imjaad Majeed and Kumar Kumaragamage, moderated by Dr. Malathi de Alwis. The discussion will look at the contemporary elements music used as a form of resistance.
The performances will include Drumming for Justice, Lareena Haq, the Soorya Cultural group, Ghosha, K. Vimalanathan, Skitzo and Stigmata. Drumming for Justice is an all-female group of drummers who will be using the ‘parai’ drum – a drum which is supposed to have associations with low caste. They will be using their drum beats to raise awareness for people who are marginalised. K. Vimalanathan is a panelist whose performance will connect to Sri Lankan folklore.
| The festival: When, where, what time The Festival of Music for Social Change will be held on July 29 from 3.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies at Kynsey Terrace, Colombo 8. The panel discussions will be held at the ICES auditorium while the performance will be held on the premises. The first panel discussion is from 3.30 – 5.15 p.m, while the second panel discussion will be held from 5.30 -7.15 p.m. The performances will be from 7.30 – 9.30 p.m. Entrance is free. | |