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Posts Tagged ‘power of arts’

Hillary Clinton on the importance of ARTS in promoting human rights

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

hilOn Monday, December 14, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton highlighted the importance of the arts and artists in her remarks at Georgetown University on the Human Rights Agenda for the 21st Century. During a question and answer session, Secretary of State Clinton was asked about the importance of the arts and artists in helping to promote human rights. In her reply, Clinton stated:

“I remember some years ago seeing a play about women in Bosnia during the conflict there. It was so gripping. I still see the faces of those women who were pulled from their homes, separated from their husbands, often raped and left just as garbage on the side of the road. So I think that artists both individually and through their works can illustrate better than any speech I can give or any government policy we can promulgate that the spirit that lives within each of us, the right to think and dream and expand our boundaries, is not confined, no matter how hard they try, by any regime anywhere in the world. There is no way that you can deprive people from feeling those stirrings inside their soul. And artists can give voice to that. They can give shape and movement to it. And it is so important in places where people feel forgotten and marginalized and depressed and hopeless to have that glimmer that there is a better future, that there is a better way that they just have to hold onto.”

Reactions from D.C.

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

I recently had the privilege of watching our first artistic piece from IVAP “go public”. Paul Emerson and CityDance premiered their new piece, “Wishes of the Sailor” at the Capitol Visitors’ Center.

The piece was amazing- moving and powerful, which was no surprise coming from the talented Paul and fellow sojourner Kathryn Pilkington. What did surprise me was what relief I felt to not be alone on this issue—to be in the company of those who also wanted movement on this issue.

Coming back home after this amazing trip to the Middle East and trying to share with people the importance and complexities of this issue has been challenging to say the least. Mostly, because no one seems to know anything about it! (It is INDEED one of the most underreported crises of this century.) I certainly didn’t before this trip! So I have felt a great weight to inform people and tell the stories of the Iraqis I met. So, you can imagine the relief to hear senators and congressmen and generally people of high status speaking to this issue, all caused and inspired by the artistic piece performed.

I felt it was a real tribute to not only the work of CityDance, but also Intersections and what they have created here with IVAP. It is ALREADY making a difference! ART is helping to make a difference, to give voice to those who have none. We are creating conversations and opening doors for change around this issue.

Keep talking about the Iraqi refugee crisis. Keep the conversation alive. The Iraqis are counting on us.

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