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Singing
for Peace
From The White House
to the Nobel Foundation, from the peace rally stage she shared with
Yitzhak Rabin, minutes before his assassination, to the film
recording studios where she sang her own lyrics written specially
for the soundtrack of Roberto Benigni's film, Life is
beautiful, Noa, Isreal's most celebrated international singing
sensation, is everything but your usual 'Star': She is a
phenomenally impressive woman who engages her life and her artistic
soul to furthering peace through music.
Most impressive
is the quiescence with which her career unfolds. This is a story of
collaborative success: be it with her long term musical
partner/producer and guitarist Gil Dor, or any mix of the world's
musical 'who's-who'; from Khaled and Mira Awad to Bono to
Donovan, Noa shares her message musically across the
globe.
Whether she is
performing with and engaged in a programme of the Yehudi
Menuhin Foundation, or with composer, Eric Serra for songs featured
in James Bond's Golden Eye, or being presented with the 'dove of
peace' by Nobel-peace prize laureate Shimon Peres, in
recognition for her peace ambassadorship, in front of an audience
which included President Clinton, Ehud Barak, Yasser Arafat and the
King of Norway, Noa shares a musical magic which resonates
beyond walls boundaries, foreign policy and prejudice.
Her love of music is
sung in every note and her passion for peace is evident in
everything she does.
For those skeptical
of the power of one: read her story and reconsider…. The power of
Noa's 'One' lies in the heart of every individual. It is
expressed in the sincerity of connecting, of sharing, of fearlessly
communicating through her art, an irrepressible message
of this new age: the message of selfless leadership as
the only viable path to a real PEACE.
Why did you choose to
join iPeace?
I
feel any initiative for peace is essentially worth encouraging.
Since we all know there is power in numbers and in the joining of
minds and spirits, i feel happy to be able to contribute my voice
and heart to this new peace network.
You have received accolades at
the highest level worldwide in your role as what is best described
as an international ambassador for peace, what in your view remains
the most difficult challenge to peace, especially in the middle
east?
In the middle east our history, our pride, our sense of
self-righteousness and, to quote the famous Aaron Neville song, the
feeling that we each have "god on our side", all contribute to our
inability to progress into the territories of peace and
reconciliation. Religion is an obstacle, so is fear and prejudice
that are mostly brought about by lack of information, especially
objective information (in so much as it exists).
What can be done?
Education, freedom, access to information (the wild web!), the
broadening of horizons and the shift of focus from "we" (the mad
and violent mob calling for jihad or death to the Arabs or whatever
it may be) to "me" (do i really believe in all this? do i want to
sacrifice my children, myself, my freedom, for a pile of rocks or
anything for that matter?), and then back to "we" (once I've taken
care of myself, opened my eyes, built a better and more hopeful
future for my family, i can start caring for my community, for my
culture, for the way i interact with others and for their
well-being as well, realizing we are all one great, intricate,
beautiful human chain).
The list and
achievements of Noa's life and professional persona
continue unabated and iPeace is deeply honoured to feature her
here, as one of its most prestigious new members. In every
nuance, Noa shares with her audiences and her fans, with
diplomats, heads of state and even Kings, her belief in dialogue as
the means to promoting peace and understanding.
With two
young children of your own, is there anything which you believe
should be fundamentally different to how children are educated,
both at home and in schooling, about respect and tolerance for
'difference'?
There can never be enough
emphasis on respect and tolerance, on compassion and kindness, on
patience and open mindedness, on skepticism (never take anything
for granted!) and curiosity (ask questions!!), on individualism.
Unfortunately, I feel many parents around the world, and especially
here in the middle east, and, sadly, often in our neighboring
countries, do not see eye to eye with me on this matter, and do not
consider these things the highest priorities in educating their
children. In general, i am against ANY indoctrination, and ANYTHING
that instills hatred in the hearts of children, no matter what. I
am also against ultra-orthodox religious education of any sort,
which basically cripples children's minds in what i consider to be
an unforgivable way.
Her voice is unified with
those of Palestinian musicians. Under the banner "Time for Life- A
Tribute for Peace she shared the stage with Ray Charles, Mercedes
Sousa, Khaled, Nicola Piovani, and various artists from
Afghanistan, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Africa and
Ireland.
In 2000, Noa and Gil were
asked to write the lyrics for Nicola Piovani's musical theme
for Roberto Benigni's Oscar award winning movie: "Life Is
Beautiful". The song was recorded and released with the album "Blue
Touches Blue", and became a huge hit for the song-writing
duo.
Is an international culture of peace
possible? If so, in your experience could it become viable enough a
voice for real change?
I feel the only voice that can eventually bring on change is
one of a united humanity that includes all factions of society
(economic, political, judicial, environmental, religious, artistic,
etc.). No one group alone can work effectively to shift the sad
state of things as they are today. Further, we must be willing to
sacrifice, truly, sacrifice, some of our comfort, maybe much of it,
for the benefit of others. How many of us, even activist and
self-proclaimed believers, are truly prepared to do
that?
In May
2004 Noa performed in "We Are the Future": a globally
telecast fund raising concert for children in conflict areas. The
event, which was produced by Quincy Jones and hosted by the mayor
of Rome Walter Veltroni, featured an international line-up of stars
and performers such as Oprah Winfrey, Angelina Jolie, Chris Tucker,
Naomi Campbell and Serena Williams, Patti Austin, Carlos Santana,
Alicia Keys, Andrea Bocelli, Carmen Consoli, Josh Groban, Herbie
Hancock, Stomp, Take 6, Angelique Kidjo and others. The concert was
performed live in front of an audience of 350,000 in Rome's "Circo
Massimo", and broadcast on MTV, VH1 and various other channels to
millions more around the world.
In all your years of impressive peace activism, which moments stand
as the most impressive?
Singing at the peace rally on Nov 4th 1995
where hundreds of thousands of Israelis came out to support peace,
just minutes before their hero (and mine too!), Yitzhak Rabin, was
murdered in cold blood by Yigal Amir. That was what you would call,
a defining moment. I came away from that dreadful night a changed
woman.
Noa is the first woman to receive the "Galileo Galilei" order
medal from the "Grand Orient", the Italian arm of the Free Masons
Organization. She has gone on to receive the prestigious "Gemona
Seminar" prize for artistic excellence and her contribution to
peace and understanding. During a performance
at the "Ambrosetti Forum" which took place in Villa d'Este, Como,
Italy, before distinguished participants such as Shimon Peres, Saeb
Arekat and Amer Mussa, she took advantage of this stage, as she has
many times before, to express her belief in the importance of
dialogue and the need for vision-driven, self-less
leadership.
Most recently she was awarded the prestigious "Stella de la
Republica " ( the "Star of the Republic) by the
President of the Italian Republic, President Neapolitano, and she
has been officially been accorded an Italian Knighthood: with the
status of "Cavalliere", which is the highest honor Italy has
to give in recognition of public service.
Could you elaborate a little on your own message of peace through
the role of music?
Music breaks barriers, connects us on the deepest level, in
those places where we are all vulnerably the same: our guts and
emotions. I feel peace is like the rings created by a rock
thrown into water. One small rock creates one small ring that
becomes wider and wider but weaker at the same time, unless it
meets other rings, and joins them, and together they make
waves.
My voice is a ring dreaming to
become a wave.
iPeace
celebrates your life and your art as part of a global desire for
peace everywhere.
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