PEACE WEEK IN NEW ORLEANS

DECEMBER 25, 2003 - JANUARY 1, 2004

PEACE WEEK is an effort to plant peaceful seeds of hope and unity in New Orleans. Our city is in the grips of a culture of death that gives no value to human life. As a community, we must develop ways to resolve conflict without resorting to violence. PEACE WEEK provides us the perfect opportunity to call a cease fire and a moratorium on violence, during this country's most important holiday season that encompasses Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa and New Years'.

In order to accomplish this moratorium on violence we need citywide awareness of this effort. All local media must be aware of PEACE WEEK and agree to air public service announcements informing the roughly 500,000 inhabitants of New Orleans of this unifying effort. The City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department must be in support of this effort of Peace along with all the city's school systems, major religious organizations and social service agencies. By starting this campaign on December 1, 2003, we have twenty-four days to raise awareness and consciousness.

Since September 28, 2003, Congo Square has been the site of Drumming for Life Workshops every Sunday for this very purpose. Over 500 people have attended these workshops and have used drumming to plant seeds of life among the participants and to spread the word to young people and adults about the power of using positive spiritual and cultural values to change our city and the world.

On December 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th, the Congo Square Foundation is sponsoring a week of Drumming for Life activities around the city. (Click here for updated calender of events for the entire month of December)

• Wednesday, December 3, Dr. Juma Santos will lead the "Rhythms of Congo Square" Drum Workshop at Southern University - New Orleans, Multipurpose Auditorium. The master class from 5:30-7pm will be followed by a lecture/slide presentation of Mr. Santos travels and experiences from 7-8pm.
• Friday, December 5 at 10am, Juma will lead the drumming for the New Orleans Public School's Tenth Annual Kwanzaa Extravaganza featuring Dr. Malana Karenga, the creator of Kwanzaa. This event will also be held at. Southern University's Multi-Purpose Auditorium.
• Saturday, December 6, Dr. Santos will lead a Healing Drum Circle at the Ashe Cultural Arts Center from 3-5pm.
• Sunday, December 7, Dr. Juma Santos and Luther Gray will be guests on WYLD's Sunday Journal, hosted by Harold Clark at 8am discussing how drumming and culture will be used as tools in Peace Week.
• Sunday, December 7, Master Drummer Dr. Juma Santos' residency climaxes when he leads the Congo Square Drumming for Life Workshop in an inspiring Afro-Caribbean Workshop Finale from 2-5pm.

During his forty-year musical career, Juma has recorded on over 75 recordings with such musical icons as Miles Davis on the groundbreaking "Bitches Brew" album. He has also toured and recorded with Nina Simone, Babatunde Olatunji, Tito Puente, Taj Mahal, Roy Ayers, David Sanborn and the Four Tops, to name a few.

Our hope is that Juma's residency will kick start activities all over the city by schools, churches, neighborhood organizations and individual citizens of all ages, races and economic status.

PEACE WEEK WILL SEND A STRONG UNIFYING MESSAGE TO THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE TO STOP THE KILLING AND OBSERVE PEACE WEEK
DECEMBER 25, 2003 -JANUARY 1, 2004.

If you and your organization are interested in participating or promoting PEACE WEEK IN NEW ORLEANS, please contact Luther Gray with the Congo Square Foundation at 495-0463 so we can coordinate our activities.

PEACE, PLEASE !