Niger 2004
OPERATION WORLD HARMONY
by Eileen Cozzaglio

    I have many blessings in life, but music ranks high above them all. In fourth grade, when I signed up for violin lessons, little did I know that this squeaky piece of wood would one day allow me to speak a "universal language," become a part of Project Troubador, travel to the corners of the earth, and encounter people whom I'd never meet or otherwise know.

    I could write many paragraphs about the courage and wisdom of the people of Benin and Cameroon, the two countries in West Africa I traveled to with Project Troubador in 200. I could write pages about the amazing work we did and how profoundly these experiences have changed MY life... spiritually, intellectually... in every way. However, I have an agenda here.

    In October of 2002 I had the honor of performing at The Millennium Peace Summit for Women Religious and Spiritual leaders at The United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. There were Buddhist nuns, Hindu swamis, indigenous women from New Zealand, West African women, Jewish women, Christian women, and Muslim women from Palestine, Afghanistan, and Northern Africa. Each woman was so beautiful and seemingly so different from the other! Some were quietly passionate, others loud and outrageously articulate. I remember thinking " what in God's name am I doing here with all of these inspiring and wise women? " I approached our upcoming performance with apprehension, humbled at the idea of having anything significant to offer to such a distinguished audience. As we nervously began the song "Amazing Grace," I looked out at the audience and saw a beautiful collage of Pakistanis, Cambodians, Palestinians, Israelis, Germans, Saudi Arabians, Indians, Africans, Iranians, Syrians, and Americans - all singing TOGETHER! In that single moment, I knew... music CAN build bridges across cultures... it CAN bring peace! I can see it with my own eyes! I returned from the Summit with renewed hope; committed to continuing my involvement with Project Troubador, and to devoting every fiber of my being to sharing this miraculous truth.

    Which brings me to Operation World Harmony. In January 2004, under Project Troubador’s auspices, two other American musicians and I will travel to Niger, West Africa. There we will work closely with the Niger chapter of Centre Afrika Obota, (CAO), a West African non profit organization devoted to development and peace. During our two week stay, CAO will introduce us to Nigerien musicians. We will rehearse together for the first two days and develop a music program that draws upon both Nigerien and American styles. Over the next two weeks, we will present this program in schools and villages around Niger, spending a full day in each location, working with young musicians and connecting with people on an individual basis.

    Why Niger? The population of Niger is between 80 and 90% Muslim. Islam is a vital part of their daily lives. It seems clear that the United States is finding it difficult to convince the Muslim world that the American attacks on Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq are not part of a great holy war against Islam and the Muslim people. These affronts were recently aggravated when Niger gained global attention as being Sadam Hussein’s supposed uranium connection. As measured by the United Nations Development Program, Niger is the second poorest country in the world, ahead only of war-ravaged Sierra Leone and well behind countries such as Afghanistan. Niger is located in a very tough global neighborhood. Four of the seven states on its borders, Algeria, Libya, Chad and Nigeria, are countries well known for their anti-western sentiments.

    We will bring no social agenda or moral judgments. Our mission is to build relationship, and if in our travels we touch just one person who might be vulnerable to the advances of groups that promote war and violence... if we give just one person the opportunity to make an informed decision based on personal experience, then it will be worth every penny, every mile, every hardship.

    Eileen Cozzaglio is a violinist and a fiddler who teaches violin in Western Massachusettes. In addition to performing solo and in orchestral settings, she plays and sings with Louise in The Ravin’ Mavens.