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"We all bring changes"
"Murga dei Vicoli" is a musical band, mainly composed by percussions
it was born two years ago, in the historical centre of Genoa
it's inspired by Argentinian and Uruguayan murga, but in Genoa results to be different, because the contest is different
we meet once a week, every week since two years
and we do a free laboratory for all the neighborhood
we go out and make noise, near to the ghetto or via Prè…
Murga always look out for neighborhood's problems
but mostly, wants to give voice to the voiceless
Palestinian issue it's also frequently forgotten and voiceless
so we decided to bring a Murga in Palestine
first thinking about Murga as a political instrument
as well as in Genoa, it could strengthen palestinian resistance
but during the path some things are changed, and the target too
Murga has always been self-financed organizing events
with this method we also bought instruments
and we did the same for the project, organizing a big concert
which has allowed us to collect more money
and then Urgenza Sanitaria a Gaza supported us with two plane tickets
we contacted some volunteers of ISM, International Solidarity Movement
we met them, and they explained us how to deal with israeli military near the border
and, once arrived in the occupied territories, how to deal with Palestinian culture and society
so: we have developed the project, we have self-financed it, we did training… and we went there.
We decided to go in a cultural and theatrical centre, called Al Rowwad
a centre created by refugees who have carried out activities from below
it was born in a room of a refugee camp in 1998
and now, in 2011, it became a three floors building
with many laboratories, from theatre to music and dance.
At the beginning we wanted to buy instrument to create a murga
we though to deal only with music activities
but we kept elastic towards their needs
Many western organizations arrive there to impose their projects
but if Palestinian needs are different it doesn't make sense
so it didn't make sense to buy instruments that they wouldn't use when we would leave
we said to expect and see what were the needs of the centre
regarding the music, the centre needed a pianola
regarding sociality, they needed people that supported the children
so we did several things, like homeworks and english lessons
we have adapted ourselves to their necessities, not the contrary
so we decided to do other things and make a different kind of murga
instead of buying drums, we bought buckets that they painted as activity
and they enjoyed to do a new experience
with a great sense of responsibility, they shared brushes, colors, and buckets
demonstrating a great generosity
they surprised us with their musical talent, sometimes they played better than us
so we made something beautiful with little expense
and the teacher also thanked us for the idea, she will use it again with other children
so we were very happy for this activity
how does Al Rowwad's motto says… we all bring changes
it's true. Sometimes people think that alone can't do anything
but I think that many little things combined together make a big thing
so the matter is to go there, see and know the situation, and you'll change too
they give so much, maybe they give more to you than you to them
I was doubtful about my skills
but many people told me that for a palestinian, it's important only to talk with people coming from outside
who can tell him something about other countries, and speak about Palestine when he returns back
I't important to go there, see what's happening, talk to other people and tell all when we come back in our country
The presence of international people it's useful to reduce israeli violence
if an israeli military shoots on palestinian people, he doesn't give a damn
if there are international people maybe he shoots up in the sky
another reason is information: International Solidarity Movement take photographs and videos
and disseminate pro-palestinian information against Israeli apartheid regime.
Israel couldn't manage occupied territories, so decided to build a wall
that is 8 meters high, twice Berlin's wall, and 180 Km long
the wall is not only a separation from terrorism, but also an ethnic separation
it not only separates the Palestinian territories from Israeli ones
it's also used to create these bypass roads only for Israeli settlers
The wall has one aim only: umiliation,
umiliation and degradation of Palestinian people… also ghettoization
because a Palestinian born and raised in Bethlehem or Jerusalem
who wants to go from Bethlehem to Jerusalem
must pass through check-points
We passed it with schoolchildren accompanied by teachers
and it made me sad to see that was a daily act for them
it becomes normal for them having to queue for hours
The most humiliating thing for a Palestinian is to see that an Italian can easily go to Jerusalem
but a Palestinian born and raised in Jerusalem can't
for them is easier to come in Italy than going to Jerusalem
they have a phrase that says: to exist is to resist
even if they don't go to manifestations, or they don't throw stones
the mere fact of staying there is resistance, peaceful resistance
When we were there, we have tried to create a bridge
a bridge between Murga and Al Rowwad, Genoa and Palestine
so, anyone who can do something here and wants to bring it there
will be very useful to enhance the Palestinian culture and resistance
certainly also by an economic point of view
but is important to give the kids tools to improve their knowledge
Right.