DAMASCUS REQUESTS PARTICIPATION IN THE RHYTHM ROAD AMERICAN

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000656 DEPARTMENT FOR ECA/PE/C/CU; NEA/PPD (Qiana Bradford, Pen Agnew); R; NEA/ELA SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO SY XF OEXC SCUL SUBJECT: DAMASCUS REQUESTS PARTICIPATION IN THE RHYTHM ROAD AMERICAN MUSIC ABROAD PROGRAM'S NEW SEASON REF: STATE 090853 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Embassy Damascus requests participation in the Rhythm Road American Music Abroad Program during February-May 2009. A program of "urban music" will help Post reach out to youth in a country where over 50 percent of the population is under 20 and Western hip hop receives wide play. Through this program, Post will foster connections with youth alumni of exchange programs (ACCESS, PLUS, YES, MEPI),and hard-to-reach university students, as well as broaden Post's contacts in Syria's music and arts scene. END SUMMARY. -------------- PROGRAM OVERVIEW -------------- ¶2. (U) A three-day program in Syria for American hip hop performers would include all or some of the following activities: - Public concert performance, Damascus - Club performance, Damascus - Workshop/performance for students, Damascus - Special event for young Department of State exchange program alumni - Radio interviews/performances, Damascus - Workshops with students and teachers at the Higher Institute of Music, Damascus - Public concert performance, Homs - Workshop/performance for students of the Music Education Faculty, Al-Ba'ath University, Homs ¶3. (U) Any group that travels to Syria should be prepared to act as educators as well as performers. The group should be able to talk with youth audiences about the history of hip hop, its social significance, and its musicality. They should be prepared to answer the two questions: What makes hip hop unique? What makes it uniquely American? -------------- DAMASCUS MSP GOAL: PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE -------------- ¶4. (U) A program of hip hop music or similar will help Post to reach out to a younger and larger audience than traditional music programming. This supports the MSP goal of mutual understanding and nurturing strong people-to-people contacts and relationships, especially with the successor generation. -------------- TIMING, LOGISTICS, AND FUNDING -------------- ¶5. (U) Post requests a program for four or five days, plus two travel days, during February-May 2009, excluding the weeks of March 8-12 and April 19-23. ¶6. (U) Post will provide in-country transportation and per diem and cover any staging costs for performances, possibly with support from local sponsors. ¶7. (U) Post will be pleased to share a tour of American hip hop performers with other Posts in the region. CONNELLY