Musik,-Takt & Tonlehre
Mishras 2012 Europen Musical tour
Dear Friends,
We are in Varanasi now and wish all of you. We are happy to inform you that our tour for Europe this year will be in October/ November 2012. So we are starting now for booking the Concert dates of Europe and just like to inform you that if you want to book any concert of us then please contact us soon as now we are booking the dates.
We are coming three musician Pandit Shivnath Mishra, myself Deobrat Mishra on Sitar and Prashant Mishra on Tabla. So please contact us soon for any information you need.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Yours, Deobrat Mishra
Sitar Artist.
Contact us at: mishramusic@hotmail.com
Website: www.music-of-benares.com
Cell: 0091-9451586700
Note: we are also sending you a attachment of recent concert photos and Video Link on youtube we did with 108 Sitar players in Varanasi to save holy River Ganges. Please have a look. You can see more picture of it on my facebook account: Deobrat Mishra
My father Pandit. Shivnath Mishra made a history in Varanasi-India to conduct a orchestra of 108 sitar players. Total musician where 151 including Tabla players and Flute players.
Varanasi (Sanskrit: वाराणसी ) is a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometres (199 mi) southeast of state capital Lucknow. It is regarded as a holy city by Buddhists and Jains, and is the holiest place in the world in Hinduism (and center of earth in Hindu Cosmology). It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and probably the oldest of India. The Kashi Naresh (Maharaja of Kashi) is the chief cultural patron of Varanasi and an essential part of all religious celebrations.The culture of Varanasi is closely associated with the River Ganges and the river’s religious importance. The city has been a cultural and religious centre in North India for several thousand years.
The Benares Gharana form of Indian classical music developed in Varanasi, and many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians resided or reside in Varanasi, including Kabir, Ravidas Their Guru Swami Ramanand, Trailanga Swami, Munshi Premchand, Jaishankar Prasad, Acharya Shukla, Ravi Shankar, Girija Devi, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Bismillah Khan. Tulsidas wrote Ramacharitamanas here, and Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath located near Varanasi (Kashi). Varanasi is home to four universities: Banaras Hindu University, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies and Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. Residents mainly speak Hindi and Kashika Bhojpuri, which is closely related to the Hindi language. People often refer to Varanasi as “the city of temples”, “the holy city of India”, “the religious capital of India”, “the city of lights”, and “the city of learning.”
Mishras Press release:
Very rare to see three generation master musician’s on same stage.
11th GENERATION FATHER AND SON SITAR MASTERS of Benares Gharana
From their home city of Benares, an ancient spiritual centre of traditional music and Indian culture, “The Mishras” are bringing classical North Indian Ragas and meditative music to the world audience, gifting the audience with a fabulous performance and a spiritual experience. Join this father and son duet of two of the worlds finest Sitar Artist and Prashant Mishra on Tabla grandson of Pandit Shivnath Mishra as they inspire one another to new levels of loving interplay.
PANDIT SHIVNATH MISHRA
Pandit Shivnath Mishra was born on the 12th of October 1943, in Varanasi (North India). Also known as “Legend of the Sitar”, he is the 10th generation of the prominent Benares Gharana lineage of top class singers including Pandit Bade Ramdas Mishra and Panditji Great Grand Father. Since childhood, his highly musical family could see signs of a masterful musician in him. When Panditji was five years old, he began studying vocal music with his father, Badri Prashad Mishra, and his uncle-guru, Pandit Mahadev Prashad Mishra. However, when he was eight his musical inclination led him to study the sitar. In a family of great classical Indian vocalists, he was the first one who mastered the sitar.
Due to the vocal influence from his family as well as the Benares Gharana tradition, he is one among few artists in Contemporary India who ‘sing inside’ while playing a musical instrument. His lively, powerful and unique style has praised him with innumerous titles by the most representative authorities and institutions of music in and outside India. In 1966, when he was only twenty-three, he received a gold medal in the All India Music Conference, in Calcutta.
1979 marks the beginning of his performances abroad. Sine then, he has been constantly on tour in many foreign countries, among them Germany, Italy, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Japan, Holland etc. In 1999, he gave his first concert in the USA and Canada. During his tours, he has performed with several international jazz artists such as John Handy, Paul Horn, David Freezen, Ben Conrad, Berred Kworrase, George Figgler Aimester among others. Moreover, he participated in many conferences and recitals including the Condolence Metal of Late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, in Germany. He also took part in programs broadcast by the BBC Television and the German Radio.
Being one of India’s premiere sitar artists of all times, Pandit Shivnath Mishra was the Head of the Music Department at the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University of Benares, in Varanasi, for 36 years. At this time, in 1994, he formed the “Music of Benares” which consists of a group of North Indian (Hindustani) classical musicians whose aim is to familiarize audiences all over the world with Hindustani music in general and the Benares Gharana in particular. What is characteristic of the Benares Gharana is exactly the singing of the Thumri, a light Indian classical music that is highly ornamental and thus very emotional and expressive. At a time when many different Gharanas mix with each other, the “Music of Benares” group keeps this ancient tradition alive.
Incorporation of this style with the “Jugalbandi” presentation, in which there are two solo artists sharing the stage, has created a unique synthesis of classical and folk that appeals to audiences everywhere. But this is not just Jugalbandi, this is a duet between a Guru and his Shishya (disciple) and, in this case, between father and son. Seeing this special interaction on stage is no doubt an unforgettable and mesmerizing experience.
Deobrat Mishra – biography
Deobrat Mishra is no doubt one of the most energetic and innovative sitar artists of India. Selectivity, melody and rhythmic complexity are typical features in his lively playing style.
Born in 1976, he represents the 11th generation of the Benares Gharana tradition. As a young child he studied tabla with his mother, Pramila Mishra, who is the granddaughter of the well-known tabla player Pandit Baiju Mishra. He started by studying vocal music with his father at the age of five and began his sitar lessons a year later. That same year, after only six months of studying the sitar, he gave his first public performance on stage. Five years later, he performed for the first time on the All India Radio.
Since 1994 he has been touring throughout Europe with his father. In the same year he was chosen to receive the award of the best young sitar player of India. In 2000 he received the “Jewels of Sound Award” in Mumbai. His many projects include music workshops, solo performances for radio and television as well as world music programs with Indian and European artists. Moreover, he is the one in charge of cultural events and music lessons provided by the Academy of Indian Classical Music, the school he founded along with his father, Pandit Shivnath Mishra, in 2006.
Recently, he received a Masters degree in sitar from the Prayag Sangit Samiti in Allahabad. Among many other projects, the Mishras performed and recorded their music with the Western Symphony Orchestra of Italy in 2005. Nowadays, they fully dedicate their art to similar projects including annual tours around the world.
Above all, the Mishras (father and son) serve as two of India’s leading cultural ambassadors of our times
Prashant Mishra is one of the best young Tabla player of benares music tradition. When he was five he started to learn tabla with the family member of Biru Mishra of Varanasi also studying Tabla presently with Mr.Chakkan lal Mishra(Student of Great Tabla player Anokhelal Mishra..
Soon after few years of hard practice with his grandfather Pandit Shivanath mishra and uncle Deobrat mishra he was able to perform with Mishras His skills beautifully compliment and support the Mishras in their concerts.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Aviral-and-nirmal-flow-of-the-Ganga/news
In 2004 he won first prize in Tabla competition organized by Sangeet Natak Academy Uttar Pradesh India. He received many awards for his tabla playing at many different places. The Mishras tour will help to support the Academy Of Indian Classical Music School in Varanasi, India.
Additionally, the Mishras support their Academy of Music in Benares, India where they keep alive the tradition of their music amongst young musicians. Every January and February, the Academy is open to international students of all ages and skill levels. These study tours to India are a cultural experience combining ashram style living and intensive music instruction in one of the world’s oldest cities.
Visit: www.benaresmusicacademy.co
For more information, contact Deobrat Mishra: mishramusic@hotmail.com
Visit our website: www.music-of-benares.com
http://www.gangaaction.com/
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#Previous #articles #videos #benares #gharana
#Previous #articles #save #ganga #water #humanrights
Note: Mishra or Misra (Hindi: „मिश्र“ „मिश्रा“) is a Hindu Brahmin surname found mostly in the northern and central parts of India. It is one of the most widespread Brahmin surnames in the fertile Gangetic plain region and in the Indian states of Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa, Assam and West Bengal. It is also found in countries such as Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago under the anglicized version of Misir, due to migration owing to agricultural/plantation employment. The surname is also found in Nepal, Fiji and Mauritius, as well as in other Indian diaspora communities.
In Hinduism, Brahmin refers to the class of educators and preachers. It is the highest class in the caste system. There are many references in the Ramayana and Mahabharata about the importance of a Brahmin. In the Vedic period, the Brahmins preferred isolation and solely dedicated their life to propagating knowledge and Dharma. However Misras have historically been martial Brahmins and in earlier years, many were drafted into the army.
Themenabende im Monat Mai / Juni mit Shri Sarvabhavana
Wir laden herzlich ein zu den Vorträgen und Veranstaltungen mit Shri Sarvabhavana im Monat Mai/ Juni VORTRÄGE in BERLIN / DRESDEN & PIRNA
The Bhagavad Gita (pronounced: [ˈbʱəɡəʋəd̪ ɡiːˈt̪aː] (
listen)), also referred to as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic Mahabharata. Due to its presence in the epic, it is classified as a Smṛiti text. However, those branches of Hinduism that give it the status of an Upanishad also consider it a Śruti or „revealed text“.[1][2] As it is taken to represent a summary of the Upanishadic teachings, it is also called „the Upanishad of the Upanishads.“[3] HERE
Free Will…now in english! http://www.vedic-guide.de/en/texte/freier-wille
http://www.facebook.com/shrisarvabhavana
SUFISM – Mowlânâ Jalâl-od-Dîn Rûmî UNESCO World Heritage Shams-i Tabrizi & the freedom of religion or belief.
Mowlânâ Jalâl-od-Dîn Rûmî et l’ordre mevlevi des derviches tourneurs
- Mausolée de Rûmî à Konya, vue d’ensemble
His epitaph reads: "Do not seek our tombs on this earth - our tombs are in the hearts of the enlightened."
http://mevlana.net/unesco_address.html
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/konya-mevlana-museum.htm
Rûmî est né à Balkh dans le grand Khorâssân iranien (l’antique Bactres de l’Empire achéménide, aujourd’hui en Afghanistan) en 1207 (604 de l’Hégire), mais il dut quitter sa ville natale avec sa famille à l’âge de 14 ans. Les raisons de ce départ, variant d’un hagiographe à l’autre, sont attribuées soit à la contestation des habitants de la ville à propos du titre de Sultan des savants donné à son père, le grand érudit Bahâ-ud-Dîn-Walad, théologien et prédicateur éminent, soit à un différend entre celui-ci et le philosophe attitré du roi, ou encore à la fuite devant le danger que représentait alors l’avancée des hordes mongoles parcourant la steppe, ou peut-être une accumulation de tous ces événements. De fait, la ville de Balkh fut détruite par Gengis Khan peu après que Rûmî l’eût quittée.
Après être passés par Neyshâbour (où Rûmî rencontre le grand poète mystique Attâr), La Mecque, Bagdad, ils s’installèrent à Konya, dans l’Empire ottoman, à l’invitation du sultan Key Ghobâd, comme de nombreux Persans fuyant les hordes mongoles. Son père meurt dans cette ville, alors que Rûmî n’a que 24 ans. Un an plus tard, il suit l’enseignement de Termazi, grand théoricien de Konya qui l’envoie étudier à Alep et à Damas afin d’y parfaire ses connaissances philosophiques et théologiques. C’est à Damas qu’il rencontrera pour la première fois le derviche Shams Tabrizi, qui transformera sa vie en faisant de lui un mystique extatique.
Le collège où Rûmî, docteur en théologie, enseigne jurisprudence et loi islamiques, est fréquenté par de nombreux disciples. A 36 ans, on commence à l’appeler Mowlânâ, notre maître. Son érudition attire à Konya les plus illustres savants du monde dit civilisé.
On rapporte que c’est au cours de sa retraite de quarante jours en compagnie de Shams Tabrizi à Konya qu’il se met à tournoyer à la manière des derviches tourneurs et apprend à jouer du luth. « Plusieurs voies mènent à Dieu, j’ai choisi celle de la musique et de la danse », écrira-t-il. C’est en tout cas après cet épisode décisif de sa vie qu’il fonda la tarîqa mawlawiya ou confrérie mevlevi.
- Cérémonie à la loge mevlevi de Bursa http://www.allaboutturkey.com/konya.htm
Photo : Eric Nosjean
L’ordre mevlevi des derviches tourneurs de Turquie
Comme Rûmî l’avait souhaité, Hessâmeddin Tchalabi, son disciple dès l’adolescence, devient son successeur spirituel lorsqu’il décède en 1273. C’est Hessâmeddin qui écrira et mettra en forme le Masnavi, la grande œuvre de Rûmî, tandis que celui-ci lui en récitait les poèmes. Guidant la communauté fondée par son maître, Hessâmeddin fit en sorte qu’elle continue à respecter les idées et les principes du défunt. Quand Hessâmeddin meurt à son tour en 1284, Soltân Walad, fils aîné de Rûmî, devient le sheykh des Mevlevi : il organise ses disciples en un ordre soufi véritable avant que son propre fils, Aref Tchalabi, ne lui succède en 1312. Une chaîne de successions directes rattache le maître actuel de la Mawlawîya à ses prédécesseurs.
Après la mort de Rûmî, l’ordre des mevlevis connaît une ascension notable sous la protection des sultans seldjoukides et ottomans, se déployant jusque dans le monde arabe et les Balkans. Il cultive la poésie persane (Rûmî s’exprimait et écrivait en persan), la musique, la calligraphie, et codifie ses cérémonies, dont la danse, dans ses tekke – ou monastères derviches – des principales villes de l’empire.
La progression spirituelle du soufi mevlevi s’inscrit dans le cadre d’une retraite de mille et un jours consistant en périodes de silence, d’isolement en cellule, d’étude et de corvées domestiques. Ce temps de formation s’accomplit en grande partie dans la cuisine du monastère, lieu hautement initiatique, où le novice est lentement mené à maturité spirituelle. Il s’initie à la musique et à la danse, à la lecture du Masnavi, au zikhr (invocation répétitive des noms divins) et à la méditation. Cette initiation est clôturée par une cérémonie d’investiture qui fait du novice un sheikh. On lui remet alors deux attributs symboliques, le manteau (le souf) et la coiffe rituels. Il peut ensuite choisir entre une vie de célibataire au monastère ou une vie de famille à l’extérieur, tout en restant lié à sa communauté, cas d’exception dans l’histoire du soufisme. … Read More http://www.teheran.ir/Mowlânâ Jalâl-od-Dîn Rûmî
Shams-i-TabrÄzÄ or Shams al-Din Mohammad (born 1185, died ca.1248) was a Persian Muslim, who is credited as the spiritual instructor of Mewlana Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi, also known as Rumi and is referenced with great reverence in Rumi’s poetic collection, in particular Diwan-i Shams-i Tabrizi (The Works of Shams of Tabriz).
Tradition holds that Shams taught Rumi in seclusion in Konya for a period of forty days, before fleeing for Damascus. The tomb of Shams-i Tabrizi was recently nominated to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sufism or taṣawwuf (Arabic: تصوّف) is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a ṣūfÄ (صُوفِيّ). Another name for a Sufi is Dervish.
Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as „a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God“. Alternatively, in the words of the Darqawi Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba, „a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits“. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufism
About http://iranculture.ca/dev/
The development of the role of cultural relations and the growth of attention devoted to its aspects is closely connected with modern development of civilization and with the development of international relations along with the continuous increase in their intensity.
Culture is inseparably connected with not only international cultural relations, but also to create the necessary conditions for the harmonic development of human society. In other word Culture is reflected in all human activities and in their results.
Cultural relations have great significance for international relations from the viewpoint of how well cross-cultural communication functions. According to expert analyses inefficacy of international negotiations is from up to 70% caused by mutual misunderstanding of members of different cultural systems. In the first place the recognition of one’s own culture and at the same time also obtaining knowledge about different cultures and their environment belong to the main pillars of proper communication.
Regarding to the above mentioned points, Iran Embassies in abroad try for expansion of cultural ties with the countries in all around the world and believe that based on key role of culture in International Relations, cooperation in this field could help promote bilateral and multilateral economic, political and social activities as well.
The Cultural Centre of Iran in Canada also believes that there is need for promoting Tehran-Ottawa cultural exchanges and do its best for achieving cultural goals of the two countries in different fields including cinema, arts, language teaching ,exchange of views and etc .
Iran’s great potential in the field of tourism is also essential in this regard. Iran is open to tourists from all over the world and over 1,500,000 tourists visit various cultural and historical sites in this country each year. Diverse climatic conditions as well as deep-rooted civilization have transformed Iran into a tourist hub. So it has the potential to create suitable grounds to further expansion of the tourism industry cooperation with Denmark. Activating such fields also could be the best opportunity for the exchange of views among intellectuals and scholars of the two countries.
The cultural Centre of Iran in Canada has the responsibility of coordinating Cultural activities in Canada; expansion of the cultural, scientific, educational religious, and artistic relations between two countries; introducing the Islamic and Iranian culture and civilization to the Canadian people; promoting and consolidating relations among Universities scientific and cultural institutions of the two countries.
Last but not least, as we constantly strive to improve out cultural operations, we would like to ask you to contact us and provide us with your questions or concerns on all aspects of our work.
http://www.iranhumanrights.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shams_Tabrizi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwan-e_Shams-e_Tabrizi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhikr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qadiriyya
http://www.amnesty.org/en/economic-social-and-cultural-rights
UNPO Co-Hosts „Minority Rights In Iran“ Event At United Nations
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomReligion/Pages/FreedomReligionIndex.aspx
http://portal.unesco.org/800th Anniversary of the Birth of Mawlana Jalal-ud-Din Balkhi-Rumi
http://www.facebook.com/Hz. Mevlâna
http://www.facebook.com/MevlanaveSemsHz
http://www.facebook.com/LeCentreCulturelDIranAOttawa
http://www.facebook.com/Cultural-Centre-of-the-Islamic-Republic-of-Iran-Ottawa
#sufism Persecution
http://www.transparency-for-iran.org
http://www.hrw.org/middle-eastn-africa/iran
Iran: UN human rights body concerned over executions and minority rights
http://www.hrw.org/europecentral-asia/turkey
http://www.hrw.org/europecentral-asia/azerbaijan
Inspirations for Rio +20 Summit on #sustainable #development in #brazil: #private set of pictures #anatolia #turkey #tourism #***** hotel #spa tour autumn 2011:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rumisuficelaleddinimevlana/
DON’T MISS THE LAST CONCERT OR KHANSAHIB’S ANNUAL BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE!!
Dear Students and Friends,
We’ve reached the end of the Winter Series! The final concert will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 31st, and will feature a vocal performance by Gaayatri Kaundinya with Ram Kaundinya on tabla, followed by Tim Witter in a tabla solo, and will conclude with Bruce Hamm on sarode with Tim Witter accompanying on tabla.
We appreciate all the wonderful support we’ve recieved throughout the Series, and look forward to seeing you all at this final performance!
For more information, click here!
It is an incredibly special time of year for us, as we are preparing our annual tribute to celebrate Khansahib’s birthday. This event is such an honor to organize, and we are very excited to be able to hold it once again at the new Freight & Salvage location.
We are delighted to present this year’s lineup of talented artists to the public, and are hoping to surpass the wonderful turnout we had last year.
The day’s events will begin with a series of free performances. The first will be a group of young, extremely talented vocal students of Anuradha Sridhar, from her Trinity Center for Music.
Following this will be the AACM Instrumental Ensemble, who gave a memorable performance at last year’s Tribute. With Arjun Verma and Ben Araki on sitar, Mallar Bhattacharya and Manik Khan on sarode, and Jim Santi Owen on tabla, the Ensemble has a tremendous, lively sound.
The final performance for the afternoon portion of the day will be with the versatile and accomplished sitarist, Anupama Bhagwat, accompanied by Indranil Mallick on tabla.
In the evening, we will have the pleasure of showcasing Aruna Narayan, one of Indian classical music’s only performing female sarangi players, and daughter of the great Ram Narayan. Satish Tare will be accompanying her on tabla.
The evening will close with Khansahib’s son, Alam Khan, performing a solo on sarode with our Director of Percussion, and world renowned tabla master, Swapan Chaudhuri.
We are so grateful and happy to have all of these amazing artists come together in commemorating Khansahib’s life, and we look forward to having you join us in our celebration!
___________________________________________________________
Become a member of the AACM http://www.aacm.org today! Thank you to our current members for your continued support.
Celebrate the 2012 Sundance Film Festival From Anywhere
http://www.sundance.org/festival
http://www.sundance.org/stories/blog
http://www.sundance.org/programs/native-film
“Storytellers broaden our minds: engage, provoke, inspire, and ultimately, connect us.”
—Robert Redford, President and Founder
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. HERE
Charity biography #433 Robert Redford has addressed environmental issues in documentaries and film for over 30 years. Read more: http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/443-robert-redford
Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences. Through its programs, the Institute seeks to discover, support, and inspire independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work.
Since 1981, Sundance Institute has evolved to become an internationally-recognized nonprofit organization that actively advances the work of risk-taking storytellers worldwide. Originally founded by Robert Redford in the mountains of Sundance, Utah, Sundance Institute has always provided a space for independent artists to explore their stories free from commercial and political pressures. By providing year-round creative and financial support for the development of original stories for the screen and stage, Sundance Institute remains committed to its mission to discover and develop independent artists and audiences across the globe.
#VIDEO 2012 Festival Kickoff http://www.youtube.com/sff
Sundance Film Festival Director John Cooper, and Director of Programming Trevor Groth, share some of the great things about to happen at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
Artist Programs
http://www.sundance.org/programs/
Through year-round support, including a series of Labs and Fellowships for screenwriters, directors, documentarians, producers, composers, and theatre artists, the Institute’s artist programs have supported more than 5,000 artists and their films.
Feature Film
The longest-running of Sundance Institute’s artist development programs, the Feature Film Program (FFP) was founded in 1981 and has since supported more than 500 independent filmmakers whose distinctive, singular films have engaged audiences worldwide. We hope to embrace the unique vision of each filmmaker we support and encourage a rigorous creative process with a focus on original storytelling. Led by Michelle Satter, each year the Program advances the work of as many as 65 emerging filmmakers from the U.S. and around the world through a year-round continuum of support from development, to production and postproduction, all the way through to festival strategy and creative marketing/distribution.
#video http://www.aiweiweineversorry.com
http://filmguide.sundance.org/ai_weiwei_never_sorry
Ai Weiwei is China’s most famous international artist, and its most outspoken domestic critic. Against a backdrop of strict censorship and an unresponsive legal system, Ai expresses himself and organizes people through art and social media. In response, Chinese authorities have shut down his blog, beat him up, bulldozed his newly built studio, and held him in secret detention.
AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY is the inside story of a dissident for the digital age who inspires global audiences and blurs the boundaries of art and politics. First-time director Alison Klayman gained unprecedented access to Ai while working as a journalist in China. Her detailed portrait provides a nuanced exploration of contemporary China and one of its most compelling public figures.
http://www.financialtaskforce.org/2011/12/07/an-artists-stand
Ai Weiwei is known for many things—great architecture, subversive in-your-face art, and political activism. He has also called for greater transparency on the part of the Chinese state. Director Alison Klayman chronicles the complexities of Ai’s life for three years, beginning with his rise to public prominence via blog and Twitter after he questioned the deaths of more than 5,000 students in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The record continues through his widely publicized arrest in Beijing in April of 2011. As Ai prepares various works of art for major international exhibitions, his activism heats up, and his run-ins with China’s authorities become more and more frequent.
In this unprecedented look at Ai and those close to him, Klayman’s camera captures his forthrightness and unequivocal stance. She gives a larger picture of the artist as an individual, a symbol of China’s oppression, and a powerful voice against a country that still denies its citizens many basic freedoms. – K.Y.
http://www.sundance.org/filmforward/destinations
http://www.sundance.org/filmforward/destination/china-2012/
Sundance Spotlights Spacey’s Wall Street Boss,
Al Pacino’s Cop
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-17/austerity-wrong-way-to-fight-eu-crisis-stiglitz.html
Two movies about the *financial crisis — a drama starring Kevin Spacey and a documentary featuring Nobel Prize-winner Joseph Stiglitz — will be showcased at the Sundance Film Festival opening today in Utah.
On China, Stiglitz said an easing in its economic expansion to 7 percent to 8 percent is in some sense probably a “good thing.” He later told reporters at a Hong Kong briefing growth in the world’s second-largest economy is now more “sustainable.”
http://genevalunch.com/blog/2011/11/29/swiss-chinese-free-trade-good-progress-made
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bilateral_free_trade_agreements
Not to be confused with Free market or Fair Trade. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_trade
In “Margin Call,” Spacey plays an executive at a troubled Wall Street investment firm during the early days of the economic meltdown. “The Flaw,” directed by British filmmaker David Sington, explores the causes of the crisis through interviews with leading economists, Wall Street insiders and victims of the Great Recession.
Celebrate the 2012 Sundance Film Festival From Anywhere
Digital Initiatives Bring the Festival to You!
Livestream Events │ Exclusive Online Content │Social Media
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http://www.sundance.org/video/live/ LIVE Streaming
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SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION : Live Webcast
http://www.belurmath.org/news_archives/swami-vivekanandas-birthday-celebration-live-webcast/
http://www.belurmath.org/news_archives/2012/01/10/national-youth-day-12-january-2/
Previous #articles #videos # development #reliefwork
http://ramakrishna.org Ramakrishna – Vivekananda Center of New York
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedanta
Live Webcasts from the Kalachakra Teaching
There will be live webcasts from the Kalachakra Teaching in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, from January 1-10, 2012. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be teaching in Tibetan and there will be live webcasts in English, Chinese, Russian and Tibetan languages.
All times Indian Standard Time (GMT+5.30)
January 1: Short Teaching
His Holiness will give a short teaching.
Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm
January 4-6: Preliminary Teachings
His Holiness will give preliminary teachings on Kamalashila’s „The Middling States of Meditation (gomrim barpa)“, Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo’s „37 Practices of A Bodhisattva (laklen sodunma)“, Geshe Langri Thangpa’s „Eight Verses of Training the Mind (lojong tsik gyema)“, Nagarjuna’s „The Praise to the World Transcendent (jigten ley deypar toepa)“ and Khunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen’s „The Precious Lamp in Praise of Bodhicitta (jangchup sem kyi toepa rinchen drolma)“.
Times: 1:00pm – 3:30pm each day
January 10: Long life empowerment and offering
A long life empowerment (tsewang) and a ceremony offering prayers for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be performed.
Time: 9:00am – 11:00am (approximate time)
January 10: Ceremony honoring His Holiness the Dalai Lama
There will be a public felicitation ceremony for His Holiness.
Time: 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Live English language webcast can be viewed here.
Live Chinese language webcast can be viewed here.
Live Russian language webcast can be viewed here.
Live Tibetan language webcast can be viewed here.
More information and a full schedule of events at:
http://www.kalachakra2012.org/
http://www.facebook.com/DalaiLama
For times in your region 1:00pm Indian Standard Time (IST) on January 1st in India is the same as 7:30am on January 1st in London, England.
http://tibetanyouthcongress.org
http://wiki/List_of_organizations_of_Tibetans_in_exile
http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org
http://www.tchrd.org/ Human Rights Situation in Tibet
https://www.facebook.com/tibetnewsonline
http://www.facebook.com/Tibet Sites
Further Sources #articles #videos #social projects #buddhism:
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON „SUFISM“
Conference on Sufism „as mainspring of Love, Peace and Harmony“
Opening Date: Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Closing Date: –
Additional Information : at 3.00 p.m at Lok Virsa Islamabad
The Gilgit Agency was a political unit of British India, which administered the northern half of the Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Gilgit Agency was created in 1877 and was overseen by a political agent of the Governor-General of British India. The seat of the agent was Srinagar. In 1935, the Gilgit Agency leased the territory comprising the agency from the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh, for a period of sixty years. This lease and the Gilgit Agency ceased to exist when Pakistan and India became independent countries in 1947. HERE
LOK VIRSA – AN INTRODUCTION :
Lok Virsa (The National Institute of Folk & Traditional Heritage) works towards creating an awareness of cultural legacy by collecting, documenting, disseminating and projecting folk & traditional heritage. Surveys and documentation of traditional culture is central to the objectives of the institute. The Lok Virsa delve into and surveys are conducting by mobile recording and filming units. Dedicated individuals undergo the rigorous field work, to bring back valuable results to the central archives and production facilities housed at the Lok Virsa complex at Garden Avenue Shakarparian Hills Islamabad.
Lok Virsa is an affiliate member of UNESCO, The World Craft Council, International Council of Music, The Asian Cultural Centre for UNESCO, The International Council of Museums and similar other world organizations for the dissemination of art products abroad.
http://www.rferl.org/section/Pakistan
http://www.facebook.com/Gilgit Baltistan
http://www.facebook.com/kashmirsufismsociety
http://www.facebook.com/pakistanyouthforumpage
http://hunzalandslide.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/Indian Youth Climate Network(IYCN)
http://de.wikipedia.org/Hunza Burusho people, Hunza-Mythos
http://en.wikipedia.org/Former State of Hunza (princely state)
http://www.facebook.com/International Organization of Folk Art (IOV)
https://www.facebook.com/unesco Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Zamana is a public interest space for learning, reflection, and action on Pakistan.
Explore: Whose Land? Whose Food?
In its first issue, Zamana delves into the thorny subject of land and food rights in Pakistan. The focus is prompted by recent news reports that amidst rising hunger and food crises, the Government of Pakistan plans to give away thousands of acres of farmland to Saudi Arabia and other foreign investors. Zamana invites more commentaries on this issue. Please send your perspective to info @ zamana.org. Further Infos: http://farmlandgrab.org/
Act: Our Land, Our Food, Pakistan is not for Sale
Sign the petition to raise your voice against land leasing to foreign clients.
UPDATE 23.11.2011 Final Declaration: Stop Land-Grabbing Now!
The Oakland Institute http://www.oaklandinstitute.org
More than a hundred civil society organizations have submitted a document entitled „Time to Act – Agriculture and Food Security and Rio+20“ as input to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (the Rio+20 conference). The submission outlines the key actions that are needed to achieve viable food systems based on agroecological and other forms of sustainable production.
http://www.facebook.com/oak.institute
http://www.ourworldisnotforsale.org/members
http://www.facebook.com/road2rio20
A global youth mobilization towards the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).
http://www.timetoactrio20.org/ 20 years after the Rio Earth Summit, the planet is in a deeper environmental, energy and financial crisis.The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in Rio de Janeiro in 2012 might be just another high-level conference stating the need to eradicate hunger and poverty, stop climate change, the loss of biodiversity, soil erosion and other serious environmental problems – and then, after the conference, life goes on as before. But it can be different. It has a historical opportunity to make important decisions and agree on actions that actually do eradicate hunger and poverty, and save the environment. It’s time to act!
Many civil society organizations have signed on to a document with proposals on issues linked to food and agriculture for the Rio2012-conference. Download the document (PDF) HERE. Download the document in Word format (doc) HERE.
If you have comments and suggestions for changes in this document, and if your organization wants to support the document, please send a mail to rio2012agcso@gmail.com
The document is available in English, Spanish, French and German
UPDATE 24.11.2011 @guardian – Africa’s great ‚water grab‘ Foreign investors aren’t just after land in Africa. Access to water is essential – which can bring them into direct competition with the needs of local communities.
This article is about a right to water as a human right under international law. For a discussion of water usage laws in common law, see Water right. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_water
WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Vienna, 14-25 June 1993
VIENNA DECLARATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION
Note by the secretariat
Attached is the text of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, as adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993.
1. The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirms the solemn commitment of all States to fulfil their obligations to promote universal respect for, and observance and protection of, all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, other instruments relating to human rights, and international law. The universal nature of these rights and freedoms is beyond question.
… Emphasizing that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which constitutes a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, is the source of inspiration and has been the basis for the United Nations in making advances in standard setting as contained in the existing international human rights instruments, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights…
http://www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf/%28symbol%29/a.conf.157.23.en
http://www.amnesty.org/en/economic-social-and-cultural-rights #video
Viennale – My house stood in Sulukule
http://www.errc.org/ The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC)
The Romani, who are known collectively in the Romani language as Romane or Rromane (depending on the dialect concerned) and also as Romany, Romanies, Romanis, Roma or Roms, are an ethnic group living mostly in Europe, who trace their origins to the Indian Subcontinent. Romani are also widely known in the English-speaking world by the exonym Gypsies.
Romani are widely dispersed, with their largest concentrated populations in Europe, especially the Roma of Central and Eastern Europe and Anatolia, followed by the Kale of Iberia and Southern France. HERE
The Romani people, also referred to as the Roma or Gypsies, are an ethnic group who live primarily in Europe. They are believed to have originated in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. They began their migration to Europe and North Africa via the Iranian plateau about 1,000 years ago. HERE
Origin of Roma – At the end of the eighteenth century, linguistic comparisons of Romani with Indic Indo-European languages proved the Indian origin of the Roma. When the Roma left India, they did not write chronicles of their history nor did they have „bards“ …What language were the Malabar students speaking? The land of Malabar lies in what today is the southwest coastal Indian state of Kerala. There they speak Malayalam, a Dravidian language which has nothing in common with Indo-European languages (Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati – Romani! – and others). http://romani.uni-graz.at/rombase.xml
Land acquisition for luxury apartment development forces a 600 year old gypsy quarter in Istanbul to be faced with eviction.
Mein Haus stand in Sulukule / My house stood in Sulukule ab 25. 11. in Graz, Rechbauerkino, ab 9.12. in Wien, Filmhauskino, ab 16. 12. in Linz Moviemento. Dokumentarfilm /Documentary Directed by Astrid Heubrandtner Produced by Peter Roehsler
Sulukule, a run-down district in Istanbul, is the oldest Roma settlement in the world. Until the 1990ies the Roma made a living through music and dance. Sulukule was the home of nearly 40 entertainment houses which were popular with Turks and tourists until the clubs were closed down in the 1990ies.
2005 an urban renewal project started: The municipality wanted to buy all the buildings and replace them with luxury villas, transforming the neighbourhood.
Because the local inhabitants can never afford to live in these new houses, they shall be evicted. The local government are offering residents credit to buy the new houses or apartments to rent in Tasoluk, at a distance of 40km / two and a half hours by car. In Tasoluk there are no jobs for the Roma and they are not welcome there. Under this circumstances the Roma population risk losing their social network. In addition their culture which has grown over centuries will disappear.
The film depicts Sulukule as an example for the numerous urban renewal and gentrification projects world-wide and their social consequences. The needs of the individual are disrespected. The needs of the local community are ignored.
The greedy search of the powerful capitalists for more and more profits predominates.
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/roma/index_en.htm
http://www.sinti-roma.at/ http://www.verein-roma.at/
http://indiatribes.wordpress.com/
BBC On the road: Centuries of Roma history
http://www.rajasthan-tour-package.com/rajasthan
Past Article: Traditional Food, Medicine & Biodiversity
The Vavilov Institute in Russia is the oldest seed bank in the world with a collection of over 325,000 samples of seed. Video from The Vavilov Institute from The Seed Hunter on National Geographic Channel http://natgeotv.com
#video The Institute of Plant Industry http://www.vir.nw.ru/ was established in 1921. Nikolai Vavilov was the head of this institute from 1924 to 1936 and had, and still has, the world’s largest collection of plant seeds. During the early 1930s, he became the target of the Lysenkoist debate and was exiled. In 2010 the plant collection at the Pavlovsk Experimental Station was to be destroyed to make way for luxury housing.HERE
http://de-de.facebook.com/Viennale/International Filmfestival
http://www.facebook.com/Mein-Haus-stand-in-Sulukule-My-house-stood-in-Sulukule
http://www.hrw.org/en/europecentral-asia/turkey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom of speech Turkey
http://www.facebook.com/UNBiodiversity Decade on Biodiversity
http://www.facebook.com/Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Sufi Music Of Kashmir (Sufiyana Mousiqui)Part 1
Ghulam Mohamad Saznawaz is the only existing master of Kashmiri Sufiyana Music in the world. The most tragic part of Kashmiri sufiyana music is that with the Maestro Ghulam Mohamad Saznawaz the art will be lost to posterity, now very old with his age the mastero has opened a school to teach Kashmiri Sufiyana Music free of charge but this school does not attract many students from Kashmir because of the religious and social prejudice among the majority of Kashmiris. This is sad but its true that still musicians are considered as of a lower class or of low moral and as if they can not do something useful thats why they chose to be musician.
http://saznawazgharana.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/SuFiYaNa MuSiQuI Of KaShMiR
With the goal of uniting conservation, communities and sustainable travel, TIES is committed to promoting the principles of ecotourism and responsible travel around the world.
http:// www.disappearancesinkashmir.com/
http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/1999/kashmir/
Relay Hunger Strike to Kirti Gompa
Kirti Gompa (Tibetan: ཀིརྟི་དགོན་པ།), (sometimes referred to as Ge’erdengsi or Gerdeng Monastery), properly known as Kirti Kalari Gon Tashi Lhundrub, is a Gelugpa monastery on the northwestern edge of Ngawa City, the main city in Ngawa County, within the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in northwestern Sichuan, China. It is located on the Tibetan plateau at an elevation of 3,200 metres (10,499 ft.) Read More: > HERE <
The Fukushima I nuclear accidents (福島第ä原子力発電所ä故, Fukushima Dai-ichi are a series of ongoing equipment failures and releases of radioactive materials at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, following the 9.0 magnitude Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011.The plant comprises six separate boiling water reactors maintained by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). This accident is the largest of the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents arising from the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and experts consider it to be the second largest nuclear accident after the Chernobyl disaster, but more complex as all reactors are involved. Read more: > HERE <
TYC will organise a mass prayer and donation drive on 28th April 2011 to observe the 49th day since the massive earthquake shook Japan.
Relay Hunger Strike to demand immediate withdrawal of Chinese troops from Kirti Monastery in Tibet – TYC launched today indefinite Relay Hunger Strike near Main Temple (Tsuklagkhang) to protest against the critical situation in and around Kirti Monastery in Ngaba, Tibet. 15 monks from Institute of Buddhist Dialectics today participated in the first batch of hunger strike. We are also collecting signatures at the site on the petition demanding immediate withdrawal of Chinese troops. All Regional chapters of TYC has also been instructed to launch relay hunger strike. Please see the statement on this campaign.
www.studentsforafreetibet.org against Chinas „Re – Education Programme“ and for Human Rights 4 All
- www.tibetoralhistory.org
- Save Mountain Minorities, Tibetan Nomads, Indigenous People <
- www.uranium-network.org www.minesandcommunities.org
- http://stopminingtibet.com www.meltdownintibet.com
- Nuclear Safety: http://www.barentsobserver.com/index.php?cat=156838
- IPPNW Int. Physicans to prevent Nuclear War at fb <
- Meet International friends of Tibetan Youth Congress at fb <
- Meet Students for a free Tibet at fb <
- http://www.amnesty.org/en/economic-social-and-cultural-rights <
- Meet Human Rights Watch International at fb <
CONFERENCE: The City of Kashgar
www.rferl.org Radio Free Europe
The Silk Road (or Silk Routes) is an extensive interconnected network of trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world, as well as North and Northeast Africa and Europe. In recent years, both the maritime and overland Silk Routes are again being used, often closely following the ancient routes.Read More: > HERE <
The Uyghur (Uyghur: ئۇيغۇر, ULY: Uyghur; simplified Chinese: 维吾尔; traditional Chinese: 維吾爾) are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People’s Republic of China. An estimated 80% of Xinjiang’s Uyghurs live in the southwestern portion of the region, the Tarim Basin. The largest community of Uyghurs outside Xinjiang in China is in Taoyuan County, in south-central Hunan province.Outside of China, large diasporic communities of Uyghurs exist in the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and UzbekistanSmaller communities are found in major cities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey. Read More: > HERE <
The City of Kashgar: An Oasis of the Silk Road on the Brink of Extinction – Two years into Beijing’s ‘Kashgar Dangerous House Reform’, and the Old City of Kashgar in East Turkestan, or China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), faces near total destruction.
There is a pressing need to assess the damage incurred, implications for the region’s Uyghur population, and to identify ways in which damage can be mitigated.
To address this urgent need, Ms Frieda Brepoels MEP will convene a conference, ‘Kashgar: An Oasis of the Silk Road on the Brink of Extinction’ at the European Parliament in Brussels from 9.00–12.30 on 27 January 2011 in collaboration with the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and the Belgian Uyghur Association. For more information on the event please refer to http://www.unpo.org/article/12104
After opening remarks by Rebiya Kadeer, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and President of the World Uyghur Congress, international experts including Henryk Szadziewski, Manager of the Uyghur Human Rights Project, Washington, and Ulrich Delius, German Society for Threatened Peoples, will provide a rare glimpse into one of the defining cultures of Central Asia and an internationally significant Silk Road city that has witnessed Tamerlane, Genghis Khan and Marco Polo but is excluded from applications for UNESCO World Heritage status due to political reasons.
In the keynote address for the Oslo Freedom Forum 2010, Uyghur leader Rebiya Kadeer reveals the plight of her people under the repressive Chinese government. Like the Tibetans, the Uyghurs are living in an open prison, forced to abandon their culture, subjected to torture, imprisonment, and execution for speaking out.
Drawing on the historical lessons taught by the international case studies of Lhasa and Bruges, Vincent Metten, EU Policy Director of the International Campaign for Tibet, and Suzanne van Haeverbeek, former Flemish world heritage expert, will discuss how international intervention may prevent Kashgar’s further destruction and avoid the total and irreversible loss of a unique site of cultural and architectural heritage.
www.wsk.at Vienna Boy´s Choir www.uyghurensemble.co.uk
Mountain Minorities and Indigenous Peoples
NGO Development Projects Active in Tibet
About ICIMOD – The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, ICIMOD, is a regional knowledge development and learning centre serving the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush-Himalayas – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – and based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Globalisation and climate change have an increasing influence on the stability of fragile mountain ecosystems and the livelihoods of mountain people. ICIMOD aims to assist mountain people to understand these changes, adapt to them, and make the most of new opportunities, while addressing upstream-downstream issues. We support regional transboundary programmes through partnership with regional partner institutions, facilitate the exchange of experience, and serve as a regional knowledge hub. We strengthen networking among regional and global centres of excellence. Overall, we are working to develop an economically and environmentally sound mountain ecosystem to improve the living standards of mountain populations and to sustain vital ecosystem services for the billions of people living downstream – now, and for the future.
International Mountain Day, celebrated on December 11, gives us an opportunity to reflect on the relevance of mountains for the world. This year the International Mountain Day theme focuses on indigenous peoples and other minorities living in the mountains. The purpose is both to highlight the threats and challenges faced by these communities, and to acknowledge the invaluable knowledge they have and the contributions they can make towards overcoming global challenges of poverty and loss of diversity in a rapidly changing world.
A majority of the world’s indigenous women and men live in mountain regions, many on the margins of society and facing poverty and exclusion. The Hindu Kush-Himalayan region has some of the highest diversity of indigenous peoples and other minorities in the world. An ICIMOD report identified more than 600 living languages in the Himalayas, 400 spoken by less than 100,000 people. According to current forecasts, ninety per cent of all languages could disappear within 100 years. The loss of these languages not only erodes an essential component of a group’s identity, it is also a loss to heritage for all humankind.
The UN General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in September 2007, marking an important step in international efforts to preserve the identity of indigenous peoples. However, implementation has a different speed and different levels of commitment in different countries.
In agricultural terms, mountains are often considered ‘marginal lands’, unsuitable for modern commercial farming which focuses on cultivation of single crop varieties for large markets. Indigenous mountain people and other mountain communities continue to use traditional practices and techniques including sophisticated terracing systems, water transportation and irrigation schemes, and a combination of pasture, forestry and farming practices. Indigenous women and men serve as custodians of this traditional knowledge on how to farm under difficult mountain conditions, and how to conserve important reservoirs of agricultural biodiversity.
They sustainably farm a wide variety of crops that are adapted to a range of different elevations, slope conditions, and micro-climates, and this knowledge will be of great, if as yet little noticed, value in the world’s efforts to adapt to climate and other drivers of change. The autonomous adaptation practiced by mountain communities consists of community-based interventions that address underlying causes of vulnerability and reduce the risk of possible adverse impacts of climate change by building upon the existing rich indigenous knowledge base on adaptation to environmental change and helping to strengthen the resilience of the communities. Women especially play a critical role in gendered indigenous knowledge. Their roles and expertise have yet to be acknowledged, but has great potential for adapting to multiple drivers of change.
Indigenous mountain communities are connected to the land, the environment, and natural resources in ways that are often inextricably intertwined and therefore expressed in spiritual and socio-cultural terms. Respecting this worldview, and preserving the languages, music, artwork, folk tales, culture, meanings, and myths that express it, is critical for the survival of indigenous communities in mountain areas. This ‘intangible heritage’ also enriches the global community, providing inspiration and insights for realising a more sustainable relationship between humankind and the environment.
A scene from Tibetan Documentary „Leaving Fear Behind,“ shows a nomad school in Tibet (Amdo) working to preserve Tibetan Language and culture as it’s very existence is under threat from Chinese Government policies. Find out more: http://studentsforafreetibet.org Leaving Fear Behind: The Film the Chinese Government Doesn’t Want the World to See. // sumit sadhak practicing handstand in himalyas on the bank of ganga river one of the most important places for yogis.
The involvement of indigenous mountain communities is an important prerequisite for sustainable mountain development. Therefore, as governments work toward addressing mountain development priorities, it is critical that they live up to their commitments outlined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
We hope that this year’s International Mountain Day will help to increase awareness of the central role of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples for mountain development, and to motivate all citizens, policy makers, and development actors to recognise the importance of their contribution to sustainable development. We trust that the Day will encourage organisations to invite indigenous and traditional mountain communities to participate actively in national and international efforts to understand and adapt to the multiple drivers of change, including climate change, in the mountains of the world.
With best wishes, Andreas Schild http://www.icimod.org
Culture and Development – Placing culture at the heart of development policy constitutes an essential investment in the world’s future and a pre-condition to successful globalization processes that take into account the principles of cultural diversity. It is UNESCO’s mission to remind all States of this major issue.
As demonstrated by the failure of certain projects underway since the 1970s, development is not synonymous with economic growth alone. It is a means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence. As such, development is inseparable from culture. Strengthening the contribution of culture to sustainable development is a goal that was launched in connection with the World Decade for Cultural Development (1988-1998). Ever since, progress has been made thanks to a corpus of standard-setting instruments and demonstration tools such as cultural statistics, inventories, regional and national mapping of cultural resources.
In this regard, the major challenge is to convince political decision-makers and local, national and international social actors to integrating the principles of cultural diversity and the values of cultural pluralism into all public policies, mechanisms and practices, particularly through public/private partnerships.
This strategy will aim, on the one hand, at incorporating culture into all development policies, be they related to education, science, communication, health, environment or tourism and, on the other hand, at supporting the development of the cultural sector through creative industries. By contributing in this way to poverty alleviation, culture offers important benefits in terms of social cohesion. Read more: http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en
The Challenge of Human Rights and Cultural Diversity – United Nations Background Note by Diana Ayton-Shenker:
The end of the cold war has created a series of tentative attempts to define „a new world order“. So far, the only certainty is that the international community has entered a period of tremendous global transition that, at least for the time being, has created more social problems than solutions.
The end of super-power rivalry, and the growing North/South disparity in wealth and access to resources, coincide with an alarming increase in violence, poverty and unemployment, homelessness, displaced persons and the erosion of environmental stability. The world has also witnessed one of the most severe global economic recessions since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
At the same time, previously isolated peoples are being brought together voluntarily and involuntarily by the increasing integration of markets, the emergence of new regional political alliances, and remarkable advances in telecommunications, biotechnology and transportation that have prompted unprecedented demographic shifts.
The resulting confluence of peoples and cultures is an increasingly global, multicultural world brimming with tension, confusion and conflict in the process of its adjustment to pluralism. There is an understandable urge to return to old conventions, traditional cultures, fundamental values, and the familiar, seemingly secure, sense of one’s identity. Without a secure sense of identity amidst the turmoil of transition, people may resort to isolationism, ethnocentricism and intolerance.
This climate of change and acute vulnerability raises new challenges to our ongoing pursuit of universal human rights. How can human rights be reconciled with the clash of cultures that has come to characterize our time? Cultural background is one of the primary sources of identity. It is the source for a great deal of self-definition, expression, and sense of group belonging. As cultures interact and intermix, cultural identities change. This process can be enriching, but disorienting. The current insecurity of cultural identity reflects fundamental changes in how we define and express who we are today. Read More: * HERE*
Benares Gharana Music Concerts Austria
Varanasi (Sanskrit: वाराणसी VÄrÄṇasÄ)is a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometres (199 mi) southeast of state capital Lucknow. It is regarded as a holy city by Buddhists and Jains, and is the holiest place in the world in Hinduism (and center of earth in Hindu Cosmology). It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and probably the oldest of India. The Kashi Naresh (Maharaja of Kashi) is the chief cultural patron of Varanasi and an essential part of all religious celebrations.The culture of Varanasi is closely associated with the River Ganges and the river’s religious importance. The city has been a cultural and religious centre in North India for several thousand years.
The Benares Gharana form of Indian classical music developed in Varanasi, and many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians resided or reside in Varanasi, including Kabir, Ravidas Their Guru Swami Ramanand, Trailanga Swami, Munshi Premchand, Jaishankar Prasad, Acharya Shukla, Ravi Shankar, Girija Devi, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Bismillah Khan. Tulsidas wrote Ramacharitamanas here, and Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath located near Varanasi (Kashi). Varanasi is home to four universities: Banaras Hindu University, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies and Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. Residents mainly speak Hindi and Kashika Bhojpuri, which is closely related to the Hindi language. People often refer to Varanasi as „the city of temples“, „the holy city of India“, „the religious capital of India“, „the city of lights“, and „the city of learning.“ Read More: > HERE <
Seit mittlerweile sieben Generation musizieren Vater und Sohn der Mishra Familie – Pandit Shivanth und Deobrat Mishra – gemeinsam. Music of Benares bringen mit Ihrer Musik den Zauber der mehr als 2000 Jahre alten Tradition der Sitar und Tabla zu uns.Ihre Musik lebt überwiegend von der Improvisation und folgt dem Ausdrucksreichtum der menschlichen Stimme. Deobrath Mishra wurde mehrmals als bester Sitarspieler Indiens ausgezeichnet.
Freitag 29.10.2010, Galerie Werkstatt NUU, www.nuu.at , Gesangs/Sitar oder Tabla Workshop mit Deobrath Mishra nach tel. Vereinbarung am 1, 2 und 3. November unter 0699 19429921 möglich!
Samstag 30.10.2010, 19 Uhr: Minoriten Kloster Tulln www.minoriten.at The Sound of India – Music from Benares, Shivnath & Deobrath Mishra, Sithar, Meister der klassischen indischen Musik, Festsaal/Klubräume – Eingang Nibelungenplatz. http://weltladen-tulln.at Weltladen Tulln: Wir feiern! Der Weltladen Tulln ist 5 Jahre alt geworden! Wir feiern gemeinsam mit den Vereinen Rainbowtrust (10 Jahre alt) und Miteinander leben (20 Jahre alt).
Gharana is a traditional style and way of teaching and performing Indian classical music. This style is many hundreds of years old and has been passed from master to student, from generation to generation. There are many Gharanas or styles, one of the most prominent ones being the Benaras Gharana. It is also called Varanasi Gharana. Over the years, the Benaras Gharana has produced many outstanding vocal, instrumental and dance performers.Like many traditions, this method of performing music and the great Indian cultural heritage, in general, have been threatened due to the lack of dedicated teachers and students.
A very rare Video clip of three generation’s of master musicians performing on same stage. Concert in Tulln-Austria 2009. Pandit Shivnath Mishra & Deobrat Mishra Sitar Artist from India, Prashant Mishra Tabla player. A paṇḍit (Hindi; Devanagari: पण्डित, Sanskrit: paṇḍita) is a scholar, a teacher, particularly one skilled in Sanskrit and Hindu law, religion, music or philosophy. The English loan word pundit is derived from it. Info Click here
The Guru (teacher)-Shishya (student) relationship which was the hallmark of this system is breaking down. If this tradition is not maintained, very soon it might exist only in textbooks. Pandit Shivnath Mishra and his family have descended from a highly talented musical lineage of Benaras Gharana going back several generations. In order to preserve this heritage, so precious to India, and make it accessible to children, Pt. Mishra and his family decided to create the Benaras Gharana Baccha ( The Children’s Project).
The aim of the Academy is to: Establish a school for the teaching of Indian Classical music in the traditional Benaras Gharana style; Provide scholarships to children to assist them in their learning of this musical style; Create opportunities for students and young artists to develop their potential through study and performance; Provide right livelihood for qualified and dedicated teachers.
For this purpose, the Mishra family purchased land in Benares on which to build a residential music school. The construction of the building took around three years to be completed and now the Academy is a well-structured place to receive students from all over the world.
For foreign students, who are committed to studying seriously, the Academy opens its doors providing them with all facilities needed such as a proper music hall, nice rooms with or without toilet attached, spacious kitchen, mineral water filter and dining room, apart from a safe and peaceful atmosphere. Moreover, it is located five minutes walk from the Ganga River.
The Benares Academy is a long-term and ongoing project. Your financial assistance and creative participation is most welcomed and appreciated.The Academy is registered as a charitable non-profit society under number V23536-2000.
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www.swara.at Indische Musik und Tanz in Österreich
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Benares www.back-to-life.com
Sufism International & the Hope Project
www.unesco.org/Intangible Heritage
Sufism or taṣawwuf (Arabic: تصوّف) is, according to its adherents, the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a ṣūfÄ (صُوفِيّ). Another name for a Sufi is Dervish. Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as „a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God.“Alternatively, in the words of the Darqawi Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba, „a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits.“ Classical Sufis were characterised by their attachment to dhikr (a practice of repeating the names of God) and asceticism. Sufism gained adherents among a number of Muslims as a reaction against the worldliness of the early Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 CE[6]). The Sufi movement has spanned several continents and cultures over a millennium, at first expressed through Arabic, then through Persian, Turkish and a dozen other languages. „Orders“ (ṭuruq), which are either SunnÄ or ShÄ‘Ä in doctrine, trace many of their original precepts from the Islamic Prophet Muhammad through his cousin ‘AlÄ, with the notable exception of the Naqshbandi who trace their origins through the first Caliph, Abu Bakr. Other exclusive schools of Sufism describe themselves as distinctly Sufi. Read more: >here<
Naqshbandi (an-Naqshbandiyyah, Nakşibendi, Naksbendi, Naksbandi) is one of the major tasawwuf spiritual orders (tariqa) of Sufi Islam. It is considered to be a „sober“ order. The Naqshbandi order is nearly 1,500 years old, and is active today. It is the only Sufi order that claims to trace its direct spiritual lineage (silsilah) to Muhammad through Abu Bakr, the First Caliph and Muhammad’s companion. This lineage also indirectly connects to Ali Muhammad’s cousin, son-in-law and the Fourth Caliph, via Jafar as-Sadiq. In contrast, most other Sufi orders (turuq) trace their lineage through Ali. It is considered that the transmission of spiritual lineage or silsilah, is directly from one Sheikh to another, at or after the time of death or burial. It is not tied to a country, family or political appointment, but is a direct heart to heart transmission. It is also considered that the appointed Sheikh will be in some communication with past Sheikhs. At any one time, there will of course be many other Sheikhs, who will all naturally owe their spiritual allegiance (Beyat) to the current master of the silsilah. Read more: >here<
Sufism, the West, and Modernity – In the twentieth century Sufism began to spread in the West. An uneven and spotty but still useful introductory on-line article is A History of Western Sufism (fixed January, 2005) by Prof. Andrew Rawlinson of the University of Lancaster. The following articles by Kinney and Bayman illustrate some general trends and issues:
The Sufi Conundrum, written by Jay Kinney, the publisher and editor-in-chief of the magazine Gnosis, discusses a number of issues confronting Americans as they investigate the nature and practice of Sufism today.
Sufism and Modernity (link fixed, Dec. 10, 2004) is a chapter from the on-line book Science, Knowledge, and Sufism, (link fixed 20 August, 2005) by Henry Bayman (author of The Station of No Station: Open Secrets of the Sufis ), a disciple of the Turkish Shaykh Ahmet Kayhan (d. 1998). This particular chapter consists largely of a Sufi analysis of modernity, solidly based upon the writings of other scholars who have written about modernity, scholars such as Marshall Berman, Charles Taylor, and Alain Touraine. Sufism in the West falls into four general categories: http://www.uga.edu/islam/sufismwest.html
Surrounding the shrine of Inayat Khan and the other holy places in the Nizamuddin district of New Delhi is a neighborhood where many children live in poverty and isolation. The Hope Project is the outgrowth of a milk program originally begun on Pir Vilayat’s initiative here. These kids go to school there and prepared a program for this event. The Hope Project is supported primarily by donors from all the Orders of Inayat Khan’s lineage. For information contact Quan Yin (quanyinlyn@gmail.com). / Sufism – a mystical strand of Islam – originated in the Islamic cultures of Asia and Africa, but it also has a growing following in the U.S. Its growth is attributed in large part to the teachings of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, a Sufi mystic. To learn more about the man and his teachings, Imran Siddiqui of VOA’s Urdu Service visited his mazar – or mausoleum – in the eastern U.S. state of Pennsylvania, which has become a gathering place for many followers of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen.
The Hope Project was founded in 1980 by the Sufi teacher, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan. Moved by the extreme poverty of the people living near the mausoleum of his father Hazrat Inayat Khan, he envisioned a program, which would enable the poor to help themselves.
Located in Basti Hazrat Nizamuddin, the Hope Project currently runs a community health centre, a creche, a non-formal school, vocational training courses, a thrift and credit program, and a women’s micro-enterprise unit.
The project has 70 staff members, many of whom come from the community. It is financed largely by private donations from the international Sufi community and other donor agencies.
Guided by the spiritual ideals of Hzt. Inayat Khan, the Hope Project is driven by the spirit of service to humanity and respect for all religions. It strives to provide people, especially the poor and vulnerable, with opportunities and resources, so that they can realize their hidden potential and determine their own future.
www.hopeprojectindia.org/reports.htm
- Articles o Sufism < , Articles on Pakistan & Flood Relief<
- Sufism – UNESCO Documents and Publications <
- http://aulia-e-hind.com , http://www.aulia-e-pakistan.com
- www.sufimovement.us , www.kashmirsufism.org
- www.haqq.com.au , www.sufismus.ch
- www.mevlana800.info , www.hope-project.de
- www.australiansuficentre.org , www.osmanische-herberge.de
- Meet International Year of Biodiversity 2010, friends, fans at fb <
- Meet NCCT (National Campaign For Combating Terrorism)at fb <
- Meet COP16 to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at fb <
- Meet Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions (CPWR)at fb <
