Jill Gurr

Yesterday, I was invited by the International Visitor’s Council (which is funded by the State Department) to give a presentation on Create Now to a group of music educators from the Middle East. They came from Lebanon, Iraq, Algeria, Tunisia, Bahrain, Libya and the Palestinian Territories. They loved my work and there were a lot of handshakes and hugs at the end, along with a gift of a sculpture carved from an olive tree, and an invitation to attend an event in Bahrain.

Ever since my experience traveling through Global Xchange, I’ve been intrigued by the idea of using the arts to help create world peace. During my presentation, I shared my vision of bringing together youth from gangs in Los Angeles to connect with youth in Palestine and Israel. By using the arts and the Internet to allow them to communicate with each other in small groups, these kids can learn to raise awareness and help mediate issues taking place on the other side of the world that can also assist them to learn more about the divisions taking place right here in L.A., and vice versa in the Middle East. This is especially true since the core issues of territory and retaliation seem to propel wars, no matter where they take place.

Using the arts can not only be therapeutic, to express repressed anger or hostile feelings in a safe manner that can be shared with many others, but they also allow “enemies” to communicate. Think about the power of role playing and feeling what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes through theatre. Imagine the magic of music lifting people’s spirits while they hear lyrics that speak to their emotions. Visualize art that touches people’s souls; and using the pen instead of guns and rocks to stop violence.

The power of the arts is limitless. I’m excited to explore the possibilities of international conflict resolution through the arts in more depth.