Joyce DiDonato, patron

What is it?

  • GENERAL: El Sistema Greece provides music education for free to children in refugee camps.
  • MISSION: Our mission is to facilitate social inclusion in Greek/European society through musical education.
  • GOAL: This program seeks to harness tolerance, dialogue and togetherness throughout communities. By teaching music to young refugees, we seek to educate and inspire the children, and to strive for a better future, harmony and dignity for all.

 

Our plan

  • KEY FACT: Since January 2015 more than 1 million migrants have arrived to Greece.
  • TO ACHIEVE: Today we can reach out all the children in all refugee camps and later in socially mixed neighborhoods.
  • 2016: Before the end of 2016 our goal is to provide music education to 2,000 children in Lesvos island and in Athens.
  • AFTER 2016: Our plan is to develop our program everywhere in Greece.

 

History and proven developments

  • VENEZUELA: The Venezuelan Sistema was created by Maestro Jose Antonio Abreu in 1975; Today this represents 711,787 children and 10,191 teachers in 440 music schools and 1,340 modules (music programmes integrated in the regular schools), for a total of 1,210 youth orchestras and 372 choirs nationwide.
  • WORLD: El Sistema has demonstrated its capacity as a sustainable model for education, progress and peace in more than 55 countries across the globe.
  • GREECE: El Sistema Greece is built on a proven education model that brings music to the world’s most difficult places, offering opportunities of social inclusion and happiness.

 

How does it work?

  • METHODOLOGY: We use El Sistema methodology adapted to the reality of the children in the refugee camps.
  • LOCAL SKILLS: We will work with local talents: Greek music teachers will be at the core of the system, joined by refugee teachers and translators.
  • ADAPTED REPERTOIRE: The repertoire is classical non-religious music, folkloric Greek songs and lullabies from all the countries of origin of the refugee communities.
  • INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT: International pedagogues and artists will participate: collaborating with the teachers, giving master classes, performing in the camps, composing with and for the children.

 

How can you help?

If you want to help bring music education to refugee camps, cultivate children’s creativity, free expression, imagination and collaboration skills and pave the way for their better future, nothing has been ever easier. Simply click on the link below.

 

Your donation will contribute to:

  • bettering the facilities for the classes;
  • constitute a set of musical instruments;
  • invite international pedagogues, teachers, artists and composers;
  • secure the funding for the development of El Sistema Greece teaching and administrative staff;
  • develop the whole project in all camps in Greece.

THANK YOU / ευχαριστώ…