A Peace Concert for All Nations, sponsored by the Centre of Peace and Reconciliation was held in St. Michael and All Angel's Church in Prince George.

 

The two goals for the concert were, to lift up the spirits of people and fill them with peace, hope, unity and love, in the midst of  painful news coming from conflict zones in the world; and to raise money for the International Red Cross. A total of $2,500 was raised.

THE CONCERT PROGRAM :

consisted of....

As people entered and took their seats, gentle music played  by Val Stanley on the Grand Piano,

There was a warm welcome to all attendees, followed  a Land Acknowledgment to Lheidli T'enneh Nation.

A special thank you was given to the three great choirs Cantata, Tapestry, and Nove Voce, their maestros, and the  rest of the solo musicians and readers.

The Rev. George Westgate opened the concert with an inter-faith Peace Prayer.                                             

 The opening medley was sung by the Cantata Choir with maestro Ariane Crossland.

     

  •      --- Tu Scendi Dalle Stella....an Italian Christmas song.
  •      ----Ave Rosa Sine Spinis.....by Jon Trotta
  •     ---- Lalaje Jezuniu...by Rafael Barrera

The choir was followed by Solo Guitarist.....Andrew Munns from the PG Baha’i community, who sang two beautiful Baha'i prayers of peace.

A Poem was read.... 'Amazing Peace' by Maya Angelou,  by Riham Abaz , a young 13 year old Syrian Refugee. 

Next to sing was The PG Tapestry Singers with maestro Carolyn Duerksen

 

  •     --- Sisi Ni Moja....by Jacob Narverud.
  •     --- Keep your Lamps......by Victor C Johnson
  •     --- Stand Together.......by Jim Papoulis

 

The second Solo, was an Instrumentalist piece on the  Mesopotaemian Santoor …by Horiyeh Jahabani from Persia.

 A Poem....’Go in Peace- Live in Peace’ by Robert Gresak, was read by Wiam Abaz the 13 year old twin sister of Riham, a Syrian Refugee.

The third and last choir to sing was the Nove Voce Choir with maestro Robin Norman.

  •      ---The Arrow and the Song.

based on the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Music by laura Hawley.

  •     --- Imagination
  • Imagination

                  Piano Maureen Nielsen. Based on the poem by Emily Bronte.

Music by Ola Gjeilo

 

  •     --- Caritas Abundat
    Violinist  Allison Bell
    Percussion Naomi Dugdale
    Text by Hildegard von Bingen
    Music by Michal John Trotta

 Then solo on the piano………. Val Stanley led the audience in a rousing sing-song with two well known tunes,

--- If I had a Hammer.....by  Pete Seeger

--- Let there be peace on earth ....by Jill and Sy Miller.

 A peace speech given by President Nelson Mandela was read by Khaled Abaz, the 15 year old brother to Riham and Wiam, all refugees from Syria.

The Rev. George Westgate closed with St. Francis's famous 'Prayer for Peace'

Afterwards there were lots of refreshments enjoyed in a packed hall ; and people from many continents' and countries like  Africa, Europe, North America, India, Iran, Syria, and Ukraine,  with their religions, Baha'i, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, took the golden opportunity to mix and mingle with those diverse nations, to build bridges and make new friends.

The atmosphere in the hall was positively electric and when people finally departed they left singing and breathing peace, hope, unity and love into the fabric of our community here in Prince George

 

Respectfully submitted
Marie Hay

 

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