Amnesty Partners With WOMADelaide Music Festival
16 February 2004 at 12:02 pm
Amnesty International Australia has joined forces with WOMADelaide for the 2004 annual music, arts and dance festival in a partnership that aims to use this unique cultural event to celebrate the diversity of humankind and promote Amnesty’s human rights agenda.
Believed to be a world first, Amnesty says the partnership sees WOMADelaide working with the organisation to raise awareness of human rights, building on the broad accessibility and global links developed by the festival since its inception in 1992.
The 2004 event which is produced by Arts Projects Australia and WOMAD Ltd will run from Friday 5th March to Sunday 7th March 300 artists from 20 countries.
Ian Scobie, Director of Arts Projects Australia says it is wonderful to have found a partner whose ideals and aspirations are so in sync with the greater ambitions and spirit of the festival.
Amnesty International Australia’s National Director, Mara Moustafine says the partnership with WOMADelaide stems from Amnesty’s belief that music can be a powerful vehicle to promote greater understanding and respect for human rights around the world.
Ms Moustafine says that WOMADelaide audiences were also potential supporters and contributors to Amnesty International.
She says Amnesty International is an independent organisation that receives no government funding and it is using it’s involvement with WOMADelaide, to invite Australian world music lovers to help build the support base for Amnesty International’s work.
This year’s Festival also sees the establishment of WOMADelaide Foundation.
Ian Scobie says that in order to manage the ongoing development of WOMADelaide as an annual festival, the Foundation has been established to present the festival and to develop and maintain the opportunities for cultural exchange provided by the staging of this festival.
He says the Foundation has applied to be listed on the Commonwealth Government’s Register of Cultural Organisations, a facility which will also enable it to accept fully tax deductible donations in support of the festival.
Check out Amnesty’s involvement with WOMADelaide at their websites:
www.amnesty.org.au
www.womadelaide.com.au.
