PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2007
NYU Students Striking All the Right Notes
New York, NY-Notes for Peace, a young non-profit group committed to building tolerance through artistic collaboration, is well on its way to achieving its ambitious goal of opening a music and arts summer camp in Israel by summer 2009. Founded in 2007 by Tisch Recorded Music student Andrew Zakim, Notes for Peace includes a diverse board of NYU students from all backgrounds.
“This is a really worthy cause,” said Farva Jafri, Notes for Peace’s Vice Chair, who is a junior at NYU and also an American Muslim. “We’re all committed to bridging the gap between Arabs and Jews in Israel. The arts are our way of doing it.”
“The support we’ve received so far has been amazing,” said Zakim. Positive community reception has been key to the success of Notes for Peace. Press coverage has been strong in publications like the New Jersey Star Ledger, The Jewish Standard, and the Washington Square News, and looks set to continue both in the United States and abroad.
Notes for Peace hopes to attract celebrity musicians and artists from around the world to come and donate time to teach and perform at its summer camp. At the camp, youths will participate in a series of musical and arts instructional classes, as well as workshops that use music therapy techniques and discussion to create an environment that fosters trust, friendships, and community in a region typically associated with conflict.
Dara Adams, a senior at NYU and Notes for Peace spokeswoman said, “Though we are still in the process of garnering financial support and attracting artists, the feedback we’ve received at events like the Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention and the CMJ Music Marathon has left us very optimistic. We know we have a good idea, and as the list of potential supporters grows longer, we are only becoming more convinced that our camp will be a success.”
“I want to provide the kids who participate in Notes for Peace with a meaningful experience,” Zakim said. “Hopefully, they’ll leave with positive connections that last the rest of their lives.”
Zakim will travel to Israel in January 2008 where he will begin to fundraise for Notes for Peace and build a network of support among communities there.
------------------
If you’d like to get involved, please contact Andrew Zakim at azakim@notesforpeace.org.
For information about contributing financially to Notes for Peace please contact supportus@notesforpeace.org.
If you are an artist (music, film, photography), manager, or record label who is interested in either playing at Notes for Peace’s camp or assisting in its fundraising efforts (i.e. playing a benefit show or donating a track to a compilation album), please contact talent@notesforpeace.org.
For interviews and all other information please contact Dara Adams at dadams@notesforpeace.org
