Musicians Without Borders

While the world seemingly turns its back on Palestine, we do not. Our work in the West Bank continues, and with your support, will continue long after the violence against Palestinians ends. When we see images coming out of Palestine, they are often hard to watch, and depict the suffering of the people who live there. And while life under occupation is incredibly hard for the oppressed, we can still provide moments of stability and togetherness, which are often missed, through our program there. In October, we published a video from our project in the West Bank, which showed children in the project rehearsing a folk song called Shiddo Al-Himme. The children performed this song at a private concert for their families in November, which you can see a clip of here. It’s only because of the generosity of our supporters that we can keep this incredible programme in the West Bank running. If you are able to help us keep providing these sessions, please consider donating to our Winter campaign today, and have your donation doubled automatically. Click here to support our work in the West Bank and beyond: https://lnkd.in/e7Z39vJU

This #GivingTuesday is also the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In Rwanda, we have expanded our Rwanda Youth Music program this year to include specific provision for young people living with physical, developmental, and social challenges. We directly support some of the most vulnerable people in Rwandan society. You can hear some stories from the program as told by our trained community music leaders in this video. We are delivering musical support for young people in two locations in Rwanda, but we need to reach more people. And that’s where you come in - by donating to our Winter appeal this Giving Tuesday, you can help even more people access our support services. What’s more, gifts to the campaign are being matched, so whatever you give will provide double the care! Click here to make a donation: https://lnkd.in/e7Z39vJU

Last week the Music Connects team returned to Skopje, North Macedonia, for a training week, bringing together students and trainers from Roma Rock School, Mitrovica Rock School, and Rockacademie. Throughout the week, the training staff focused on building capacity in band coaching and designing a sustainable music curriculum to support students in the long term. Meanwhile, the young musicians participated in song writing and band coaching workshops, exchanging skills between the Balkans and the Netherlands. The week concluded with a performance on Saturday night! #MusicConnects #CreativeEurope Clash! Exchange & Learning 1001 valises - Balkan Trafik Festival

Today is World AIDS Day, a day to raise awareness of and fight HIV. The majority of the 5.4 million young people living with HIV in the world are in sub-Saharan Africa, and it affects roughly 3% of the Rwandan population between the ages of 18 and 64. At Musicians Without Borders, we have embedded the therapeutic benefits of music into healthcare for young people living with HIV in Rwanda. Psychosocial support for the HIV+ community in Rwanda is available to many people, but not everyone can be reached, and even fewer have access to support through music. Our trained music leaders work with children and young people affected by the virus through regular support sessions. These sessions have already had huge positive impacts since they were implemented earlier this year, and you could help us continue them by donating to our Winter campaign. Anything you can give will help us not only to continue these sessions into the new year, but also help us reach more HIV+ young people in Rwanda who don't currently have access to support. All gifts to the campaign are still being matched, so whatever you are able to give will be worth twice as much to us! Click here to give regularly: https://lnkd.in/eVE2qPnq Click here to give a one-off gift: https://lnkd.in/e7Z39vJU

We're all now, for better or for worse, familiar with the concept of Black Friday in the run up to Christmas. It's often associated with rampant consumerism in the lead up to the festive period, but it doesn't have to be. This Black Friday, you could check out one of the "donation deals" we have to offer at Musicians Without Borders instead: A donation of €5 can buy bow rosin for children in the West Bank A donation of €10 can help fund music training in Mitrovica A donation of €100 can buy much-needed musical instruments for the Roma Rock School What's more, all gifts to Musicians Without Borders are currently being doubled, meaning for every €5, €10, or €100 you donate, we receive twice as much to help buy bow rosin, fund music traning sessions, and buy instruments! Click here to donate to our Winter appeal, and support people in warzones, divided communities, or living through displacement: https://lnkd.in/e7Z39vJU

Since 2021, the Kivu Youth Music program in the DRC has provided over 7,000 children and young people with access to music, creative outlets, and hope. In what has been described as one of “the world’s most neglected crises", access to creativity is incredibly important. 20% of the people internally displaced in the North Kivu region of the DRC are children, and this is where our work is concentrated. Community leaders, trained by our trainers in Rwanda, provide weekly workshops to children and young people living in internal displacement camps and orphanages in and around the city of Goma. Among the chaos of the war raging in the DRC, these workshops provide some stability, and the chance to connect with each other through music and movement. You can see the impact of our workshops in this video. With your help, we can not only keep these workshops running, but also expand our reach to even more children and young people internally displaced in the DRC. What's more, through our Winter appeal, all donations are doubled at no extra cost to you! Click here to donate regularly to our match-funded Winter appeal: https://ow.ly/Wgm050UeORj Click here to give a single gift to our match-funded Winter appeal: https://ow.ly/Koro50UeORi

Our monthly singing circle event is next Monday, with special guests women’s choir Tell Mama We’re Late and Musicians Without Borders trainer Otto de Jong, as always we will be led by vocal coach and workshop leader Nicoline Snaas! You don’t need any experience or song knowledge to join – everyone who enjoys singing is welcome in the vocal circle! You’ll find us at Tolhuistuin, just across from Amsterdam Centraal. You can buy tickets as a donation to Musicians Without Borders here: https://lnkd.in/e72Ayyc4

“It was a great experience, the combination of a workshop and performance seemed to enhance a lot of energy and musicality in the kids!🎉” Last Saturday, our team of workshop leaders in the Welcome Notes Netherlands project was joined by a group of musicians from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam (CvA). Our Welcome Notes project in the Netherlands brings music to children, young people, and families in emergency reception centers. In a joint musical experience combining creative workshop and concert, this collaboration combined the concept of Welcome Notes with the initiative of Alkistis Misouli, who attended our training sessions last year at the CvA. Alkistis has since started her own project to bring communities of Western musicians from the CvA together with residents of asylum centers in the Netherlands. This has already given both the musicians and the asylum center residents the chance to jam together, rehearse, and perform a small concert, as well as the opportunity to meet people from incredibly different backgrounds, building cross-cultural bridges in the Netherlands. You can read more about Alkistis’ project here: https://ow.ly/8wK650Ub5XX Remember, our Winter campaign is open, which means you can help us provide these collaborative experiences through our Welcome Notes program. Click here to donate: https://ow.ly/UJrh50Ub5Y0

Support our Winter Campaign, and utilise the power of music for social change At Musicians Without Borders, we've been using the power of music to foster lasting peace and social cohesion in areas of conflict for 25 years. In a world where division and inequality persist, our work is more urgent than ever. But you can make a difference. By supporting our Winter Campaign, you will directly contribute to: Sustainable Program Development: Ensuring the long-term viability of our music-based initiatives in conflict zones. Capacity Building: Enhancing our ability to respond to emerging crises and support marginalized communities through music education and therapy. Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with like-minded organizations to amplify our impact and drive systemic change. Plus, the first €25,000 donated to this campaign will be doubled at no extra cost to you! Click here to donate today: https://ow.ly/BxNK50U69Ju There are also other ways to engage and help us expand the reach of our campaign. If your company would be interested in exploring a partnership together, get in touch to discuss how our organizations can collaborate to drive social change. Also, by simply sharing our mission with your network, you will help amplify our impact. Together, we can leverage the power of music to create a more harmonious and equitable world.

This week, MWB trainer and workshop leader Darren Abrahams is in Poland for the Culture Action Europe Culture for Health and Wellbeing conference. Representing the work of Musicians Without Borders, bringing his expertise on how music can contribute to wellbeing and health, particularly for refugees and forcibly displaced people. The Culture for Health and Wellbeing conference highlights the role of cultural activities in enhancing health and social policies across Europe. Organized with Culture Action Europe, the event features panels, workshops, and examples focusing on youth mental health, displaced populations, and support for carers and medical staff.