It was terrific to meet you and I hope that I will see you again next year and I’m awfully happy to know and to meet you. Besides, you’ve changed the image that I had about Americans because you’re completely different. You’re nice, kind, friendly, generous, awesome, beautiful.
Amal Boubaker, 16-year-old violinist, Tunisia
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You form the "beautiful face of America" which the world is yearning for.
Dr. Solomon Guramatunhu, ophthalmologist and Chairman of Eyes for Africa, Zimbabwe
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Thank you for your friendship. You gave me confidence, I was so happy during the concert. I was excited to go in front, to show how beautiful the Tala-Andig culture. Please come back...
Vanny, age 15, Tala-Andig tribe, Philippines
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Cultures in Harmony have opened the door for peace between Nigeria and Cameroon. Due to the last project here in Cameroon more people have joined the organization and the credit goes to CiH.
CiH is a source of inspiration to the less informed in the present happenings of the World. keep on growing. We move along with you.
Ebere Valentine, President, Cameroon Nigeria Youth Movement, shown with CiH Executive Director William Harvey
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Sometimes harmony comes down from heaven to fill the space between people.
Audience member following a Cultures in Harmony concert, Chisinau, Moldova
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Don't just make a link. Build a relationship. You are feeding an entire nation.
Comment by a student, National Academy of Performing Arts, Karachi, Pakistan, August 19, 2009
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The children and I enjoyed ourselves tremendously and it will be a memorable event for Alwan wa Awtar. Once again thank you. Not only did you bring joy to the children, but they also learnt something in the process.
Azza Kamel, Director, Alwan wa Awtar, Cairo, Egypt, January 2009
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It was a real pleasure to host you, you gave us the opportunity to discover the humanitarian aspect of the USA and through you how this country could be generous and available for help. I am paying so much attention for our collaboration and hope to see you again and again here. You can not imagine the impact you left in the memory of your students. No doubt the week you spent here was so useful for all of us.
Lotfi M'RAIHI, Director, ASCM, Tunisia
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I was watching Dawn News and on came a feature on you guys on this show called encore. loved seeing you guys again, and strangely missed those magical few days when we had you here in islamabad.
i was particularly touched by what you all had to say in your interviews, and for what it's worth, you are the best american ambassadors that at least i've come across in this land. don't wait too long before making it back down the yellow brick road, we'll be waiting. you're always welcome. bring your friends. party's on us.
william, please keep the blog alive. people here are reading it, and nodding. i'd love to hear about reactions people back home have when you tell them about your trip; the good, the bad, and the ugly.
hope to see you all soon! here's to all cultures in eventual harmony!
Facebook message from a friend in Pakistan, received August 28, 2009
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I write to to express my sincere appreciation of the work that you are doing. My people in Zimbabwe were very grateful for your visit and all that you selflessly did. We all have talents but most of us choose not to share or use them for the benefit of others. In my Shona culture we say that a relationship is build or strengthened around food and music. The music that you took and shared with the Zimbabweans not only established a relationship but also provided hope for the children at [Matthew] Rusike [Children's Home]. My brother, Dr Solomon Guramatunhu spent time with the musicians and was full of praise for his American guests. He was very impressed with them not only for their talent in music but also for their ability to give and being open to other cultures. Once again "Ndatenda" ie Thank you.
Marcey Guramatunhu, USA
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I am delighted to say that the camp went very well indeed...and the final concert on Saturday was, in my opinion and that of several people I have spoken to, an absolute triumph. The success of the camp and the concert was due in no small measure to your efforts, the support of [Cultures in Harmony] and the enormous contributions that Sarah, Dawn and Ryan made - thank you so much for everything that you have all done for us. I do hope that this will be the beginning of a long and happy relationship between [Cultures in Harmony] and Musicamp!
Phillip Macquire, Director, Musicamp, Zimbabwe
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Hi William, I just want to thank a lot for all the love you have for children especial in helping them discovering their dreams. I attended the workshops with children in Marondera and was totally impressed with the love they got in learning and this will go a long way in their lives. I really also thank Sarah, Ryan and Dawn for all the effort they did coming this side despite all the negative reports that they hear in the news. They showed how much they care and I also thank you a lot for the vision that you have and pray that God continue blessing you. Lastly I thank you for generously giving Onias and the Marondera Arts and Culture Village money to buy a computer and hope this will go a long way in making their work easy and I hope your support will be a dream come true in the organisation because of so many challenges young people like us face in this country. I also thank [Cultures in Harmony] for everything they are doing. Thank you once again and be blessed.
Oliver Horiwa, Zimbabwe
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I greatly admire and appreciate the value of the work that you and the others have done in this country. As a Filipino I have to say MARAMING MARAMING SALAMAT! ...I am so happy that music was able to help in bringing the world one step closer towards convergence, understanding and peace.
Lorenzo Raval, faculty, Casa San Miguel, Zambales province, Philippines
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Regarding the Musical Teaching Clinic that you offered to young musicians the 18th and 19th of...august, I want to express you our gratefulness and recognition for the teaching work that you develop from your project [Cultures in Harmony]...In Secretaria de Cultural de la Ciudad de Mexico we are very ahppy about the way that you worked with our young people and we wish to exnd you an invitation so that next year [Cultures in Harmony] visits again... We believe that outside of the music schools and outside of the conservatories, there should also be a place for music.
Antonio Hernández, Coordinator of Artistic Education, Cultural Secretariat of Mexico City, Mexico
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The five of you were really sensitive to the communities' ways and cultures that made our role as a bridge much lighter, more exciting and fulfilling. The prospect of collaborating once again with you and your group, [Cultures in Harmony], is something to look forward to...Thank you too for the experience. Up until now, I couldn't stop telling friends about how wonderful the exchange was, as I've seen it in the perspective of someone who partners with the [indigenous peoples]. Congratulations! I hope you will get enough strength of spirit and support from friends for you to continue the magic that [Cultures in Harmony] creates with communities.
Rojean Caharian, Executive Director, Cartwheel Foundation, Philippines
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[Cultures in Harmony] gave me a glimpse of my future... More that that, it proved to me that there are a lot of possibilities in music. More than performance, it showed how music can be used to reach out to people of different cultures and that they can learn from each other. It can also create opportunities for those who do not lose hope and continue pushing forward. There is indeed a lot of work that can still be done in Music and [Cultures in Harmony] is an excellent example of how new organizations reach out to other people to facilitate learning, share insights and experiences, and recreate music.
Cris Peren, faculty, Casa San Miguel, Zambales province, Philippines
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The traditional boundaries, physical and cultural barriers, antiquated ideas about cross-cultural exchanges are being fast replaced with the incredible flow of people, talents and services, global travel and information, rising expectations, and the need to learn about other cultures and nations. Today, our world is a gathering place of myriad traditions, ways of life, races and ethnicities, religions and cultures, amazing colors, textures and rhythms, and multi-faceted attractions. We must know and understand the universe that surrounds us and actively engage in and experience this richness; recognize and celebrate this multi-cultural world in all its wondrous and intriguing manifestations and develop respect for our cultural and ethnic differences. We should explore ways to integrate this diversity into a tapestry that represents and reflects our collective heritage, hopes, and legacy as a human civilization. We must make room for ideas, experiences, and perspectives different from our own. We must embrace and integrate wisdom that echoes our own; expand interest, appreciation, and sensitivity where we may be at opposite ends of the spectrum of understanding that guide us; discover threads that offer welcome hope and change in spirit; and find common ground to our intertwined destiny and future. We have the moral responsibility to abandon indifference; dispel ignorance, unfounded perceptions and prejudices, and stereotyping of entire communities that continue to divide us and foster unfortunate mistrust and suspicion. We must gather into ever-widening courtyards like the [Cultures in Harmony] and countless other such endeavors where we share light and laughter, hope and gifts, and energy and understanding to shape a better day for all humanity. We must have the courage to cross thresholds of "we cannot" into those where our heart and spirit exclaim in unison "we must" and build bridges that we, others, may travel across in friendship. Such a dream begins at home, schools, churches, intimate gatherings, community forums, and in our hearts before it can become a reality. From what we are witnessing, there is great reason for optimism and much work to do.
Mutya Abarico, faculty, St. Scholastica's College, Manila, Philippines
