16th Annual Unity in Diversity Concert
Saturday, November 7, 2009 @ 7 P.M.
Arden Theatre, St. Albert Place,
5 St. Anne St.
Poster
The evening will include performances by:
Roland Majeau Trio
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Roland Majeau, Trent Worthington and Ron King will perform songs written by Roland that are poignant and thought provoking. A note of interest: on October 24th the Roland Majeau Trio performed at the Winspear Centre for a fund raiser called "Laugh for Life".
Anna Beaumont – A singer with an exquisite voice. She has put some of the poems of Rumi and Hafiz to music on her latest C.D. She is from the U. K. and recently traveled there. She has done a lot of concerts locally.
Isokan Afrika – Pronounced Eeshfikon Afreeka in the Yoruba language, which means "United Africa," is a Pan African group formed in 2003 and the groups shares the rich heritage and diverse culture of Africa through the throbbing rhythm of the drums and the electric energy of the dancers.
Philippine Barangay Performing Arts Society – showcases a group of very talented and dedicated youth. They will perform a folkloric dance which is the national dance of the Philippines and a dynamic hip-hop routine.
ETOWN Salsa Dancers will bring the brilliant sunny world of Latino culture to the stage through dazzling dance moves.
M.C.F.S. Jiggers – will share their Metis culture with a lively dance and toe tapping fiddle and guitar music.
A Middle Eastern and North African Music Ensemble under the direction of Michael Frishkopf from the U of A Department of Ethnomusicology will play unique and mesmerizing music on traditional instruments.
Refreshments will be served in Progress Hall next to the lobby at the conclusion of the concert.
Photos
Unity in Diversity - A Spiritual Goal
Bahá'u'lláh, Founder of the Baha'i Faith, has revealed that the true unity of the human family can only be achieved through unity in diversity, which means the acceptance and respect for differences of culture, race, sex, age, education, class and individuality. This principle is a necessary complement to the concept of oneness, because without it unity could lead to sameness and conformity.
Elaborating on the implications of this pivotal principle of the oneness of humankind, the Baha'i International Community states: "World citizenship begins with acceptance of the oneness of the human family and recognition of the interconnectedness of the nations of 'the earth, our home.' While it encourages a sane and legitimate patriotism, it also insists upon a wider loyalty, a love of humanity as a whole. It does not imply abandonment of legitimate loyalties, the suppression of cultural diversity, the abolition of national autonomy, nor the imposition of uniformity. Its hallmark is 'unity in diversity.' World citizenship encompasses the principles of social and economic justice, both within and among nations; non-adversarial decision making at all levels of society; equality of the sexes; racial, ethnic, national and religious harmony; and the willingness to sacrifice for the common good. Other facets of world citizenship - all of which promote human honor and dignity, understanding, amity, cooperation, trustworthiness, compassion and a desire to serve - can be deduced from those already mentioned." [1] Learn more »
Each year, to both celebrate and raise awareness of this principle, the St. Albert Baha'i community hosts a Unity In Diversity Concert.
In the News . . .
Isokan Afrika - a pan-African group
of drummers and dancers.
St. Albert, Alberta, 10 December 2009 (CBNS) — For the Baha’is in St. Albert, Alberta, the annual Unity in Diversity concert in November has become an important opportunity to contribute to a stronger sense of unity in their increasingly diverse city.
“Our 16th annual concert was a very successful event with a lot of positive feedback,” according to Renie Zeitz, one of the organizers of the event. This year the concert was held on November 7th and attracted more than 300 people.
The City of St. Albert provided a small grant to support the event and Mayor Nolan Crouse proclaimed Unity in Diversity Week. Deputy Mayor James Burrows brought greeting from the City to the concert, thanking the Baha'is for their contributions to St. Albert, which also includes sponsorship of an annual International Women’s Day event.
Unity in Diversity banner.
Brent Rathgeber, the Member of Parliament for the area, also spoke at the concert, noting it is important to focus on what brings people together and not on what divides them. Quoting the Universal House of Justice, the international governing council of the Baha’i Faith, he stressed the importance of unity and harmony in building communities.
The principle of “unity in diversity” was first mentioned in the 1840s by The Báb, the forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh, who founded the Baha’i Faith. According to Baha’i teachings, the unity of the human race is strengthened by its diversity in much the same way that biodiversity strengthens natural ecosystem. Differences in race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, gender, and even temperament become strengths when a community learns to appreciate the synergies that come from sharing a variety of perspectives.
Phillipine Barangay Performing Arts Society
in the traditional Tinikling dance
Even in smaller Canadian cities such as St. Albert, the population has become remarkably diverse. Consequently, the concert was able to attract performers who have moved to the area from virtually every continent.
Isokan Afrika (United Africa in the Yoruba language) included black and white musicians from various African countries. The 37-member Barangay dance group did the intricate Tinikling, the National dance of the Philippines, as well as an energetic series of hip-hop dances. North America was represented by French Canadian singer Roland Majeau’s trio and by traditional Métis Red River jiggers, while Latin America featured salsa dancers. The Takht ensemble played traditional North African and Middle Eastern instruments, such as the oud, drums and flute. Anna Beaumont, originally from Europe, presented songs inspired by the poetry of Rumi and Hafiz.
The Baha’i community is following up the concert with a series of four seminars that explore various aspects of unity in diversity, from a Baha’i perspective. The first seminar, held on November 20, examined global economic prosperity through unity. On December 4, the theme was women’s economic development through micro-lending. Two additional seminars are planned in the coming weeks.
Roland Majeau trio from St. Albert
Unity in Diversity Week was initiated by the Canadian Baha’i Community in the 1990s and continues to be promoted at the local level by a number of Baha’i communities across Canada. In addition to core community activities such as devotional gatherings, religious education for children, and study of the sacred writings of the Baha’i Faith, where human resources permit Baha’i groups around the world engage in activities that contribute to the social and economic development of their communities.
[1] "World Citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable Development". A statement by the Baha'i International Community to the 4th Pacific Islands Leaders Conference, based on a concept paper by the same name presented to the 1st session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, 14 June 1993.