[1697] in peace2
"Junoon" concert for peace Sun 4/28 6pm Kresge
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Aimee L Smith)
Thu Apr 25 01:03:59 2002
Message-Id: <200204250503.BAA04872@gold.mit.edu>
To: peace-announce@MIT.EDU, greens-announce@MIT.EDU, mitai-exec@MIT.EDU,
stopwolfie@MIT.EDU, earth-action@MIT.EDU
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2002 01:03:46 -0400
From: Aimee L Smith <alsmith@MIT.EDU>
We peace-niks, culture-crossers, nuke-rejectors, and sundry advocates for human
unity have been cordially invited to this concert for peace that celebrates
Islam and bringing peoples and cultures together...
http://www.npr.org/programs/watc/features/2001/junoon/011027.junoon.html
Bilal with PAKSMIT tells us more:
The rock band Junoon is performing at MIT on Sunday April 28, 2002 in a
"Peace" concert has recently been nominated for the Emmy Award. Tickets are
still available (but running out) at The Source in MIT Student Center. If
any tickets are left, they will be sold at the door for $35
(http://junoon.mit.edu)
The concert is a peace concert for 2 reasons:
1) Junoon's message is that of peace, moderation and qualities that are
derived form the Sufi nature of Islam. Junoon's lyrics are mystic and the
sufi style of south asian mystic music is blended with western rock. They
have a unique following, sort of mixed between Nusrat fateh ali (qawwal)
and Led Zeppelin. Their band was banned in pakistan because they protested
agianst the nuclear tests and then because they stand against the
corruption rampant in the country. Right now, they are the most popular
band from south Asia, with their lyrics preaching a message of moderation
in religion and peace around the world.
2) In the context of South asia, it is hardly ever that the Pakistani and
Indian students come together to organize events. This is one such event.
The Indian, pakistani and South Asian american students are coming
together to declare that while politicians can be stuck on their
manipulative agendas, the new generation does not want to be a part of old
feuds. Inspite of all the religious and ethnic tension in Kashmir (which
in itself definitely needs a solution), it is possibly for Pakistanis and
Indians to also share the commonalities of their culture and to be brought
together by music.
Junoon gave a series of teach-in concerts right after the Sept 11th
tragedy when they toured the United States in Nov, and the message they
always had was that of moderation and peace. They also organized a peace
concert in Pakistan on the birthday of John Lennon (last year) and
appeared on many US network broadcats to argue against the negative image
that the media tried to create of muslims worldwide. They were asked by
Kofi annan to sing at the UN Summit in Nov and their lead singer was
appointed as a goodwill ambassador by UN and UNAIDS. The band thinks that
the actions of a few madmen cannot be used to declare a war against a
billion people around the world...and the band wants to focus on the many
positive aspects of muslim world that often get neglected in negative
portrayal of this community. You can find more information on the band at
http://junoon.com.
Best,
Bilal
