EVENT: Local Brews & Global Views

Join the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation for an evening cup of coffee and conversation with Darcy Ataman, founder of Make Music Matter, a Winnipeg-based non-profit that uses music to help heal survivors of conflict and trauma in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Hear the powerful stories of survivors who are healing in harmony and listen to the music they’ve created to share their experiences and inspire change.

Treat yourself to a local brew from Forth Café upstairs, then head down to the Gallery Room to share some global views. We’ll provide the snacks and Darcy will lead the discussion. Your questions and insights are encouraged as we explore this amazing project and the transformative power of music.

When: February 15, 2018; 7:00-8:00 PM
Where: Forth Galley Room, 171 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB.

*Please register on Eventbrite, attendance is free.
*Facebook event page

 

Music heals the soul.

Around the world, people turn to music as a release. It’s a way to block out the chatter on a public bus, an escape from the labour and stress of work or school, and emotionally connects us in unexpected ways.

From classical to hip-hop, it’s been used to express opinions and emotions, be inclusive, narrate social change, and tell stories. It is through this, that we catch a glimpse of different perspectives, shaped by our own experiences and history. It is also through this, that a common language can be found; a language of feeling, understanding, connection, and healing.

Make Music Matter is a Winnipeg-based organization that uses these connections to help people heal. Working in countries that have been deeply scarred by conflict, HIV/AIDS, and violence against women, they utilize music as a tool to help people overcome hardship by providing comfort and consolation. By helping provide an opportunity to directly address the most divisive issues facing their communities, music within the MMM programs helps prevent violence and public health issues and raises awareness around important matters.

It is used as a tool to address the social and emotional needs of a population. Using the processes of writing, singing, and recording songs, MMM brings people together and helps ensure previous child soldiers, survivors of gender-based violence or victims of HIV/AIDS have a channel of expression.

In addition, MMM connects music with education. For difficult topics, songs work to inform and raise awareness around important issues, engaging people of all ages and areas, and as a teaching medium, it allows for stories and experiences to transcend generations.

In our own personal lives, music has the ability to speak to us as individuals and a global community and it creates a space for voices. By combining development work with art, MMM works to understand social issues from different perspectives and provide the opportunity for voices to be heard. Music heals the soul.

Local Brews & Global Views poster.pdf

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Make Music Matter have recently partnered with Warner Music Canada. Follow their story here and listen to their first two releases below.

Stream/download Kesho ni siku mupya (Tomorrow Is A New Day) HERE.

Stream/download Mon corps n’est pas une arme (My Body is Not A Weapon) HERE.

 

Written by: Keana Rellinger