- Title: ISRAEL: Jewish-Arab coexistence festival hosts Rock legend Joe Cocker
- Date: 28th August 2008
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MEMBER OF AUDIENCE, NASHAT ABBAS, SAYING: "Some people in our lives work hard and make a great effort to offer a ray of light and optimism, to tell us that there are points at which the two nations can meet."
- Embargoed: 12th September 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA5L2KPWZPZK7IIT2DSORNP0LHD
- Story Text: Rock legend Joe Cocker holds special performance in Israeli coexistence festival, aiming to bridge between Jews and Arabs.
A concert by English rock giant Joe Cocker was on Tuesday (August 26) the main attraction of the Gilboa coexistence festival, currently taking place in northern Israel.
Cocker, who gave an unforgettable performance in Woodstock festival in 1969, was the guest of honour at the Israeli festival, which aims to bridge the cultural gaps between Jews and Arabs in Israel.
"This, for our future and the future of the country, and the future of the generation that we are raising and educating, is extremely important," said Marina Pelik, a ballet teacher who was involved in choreographing a performance of Jewish and Arabic dancers for the festival.
"Joe Cocker is a symbol of Woodstock, a symbol of peace and great musician who comes from the whole era, so I think it is appropriate that he is here and it's kind of cool," Jonathan, a member of the audience, told Reuters.
For others, Joe Cocker is one of the musicians who create hope for peace.
"Some people in our lives work hard and make a great effort to offer a ray of light and optimism, to tell us that there are points at which the two nations can meet," said Nashat Abbas, member of audience.
Behind the initiative is the northern local council of Gilboa, home to 25,000 Israelis, 40 percent of them Arabs. The council's vision of coexistence between Jews and Arabs, practised in day to day running of local needs and bureaucracy, comes to its climax in the three-day-festival.
Organisers hope that the various performances and events, bringing together famous Jewish and Arab artists in the fields of music, dance, theatre and the plastic arts, will help visitors find a common language.
Another of the festival's main events will bring together Jewish front row singers Sarit Hadad and Zehava Ben and Arab singers Lubna Salameh and Riham Hamdi, in a rare tribute to famous Arab female singers like Umm Kulthum and Fairouz. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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