honoured by Berklee for your “outstanding
contribution to international goodwill and
understanding.” How can music help to heal
divisions and build understanding between
different cultures?
I believe music to be a very powerful healing and
unifying tool in bringing people together, and helping
resolve conflict in a non-violent way. Having grown
up with extreme terror and violence, I am a big
advocate for non-violent conflict resolution and
connecting people and cultures. I have found music to
be extremely powerful in facilitating that process.
Music is a universal language – it takes us all to a
place inside of us where we are able to remember our
oneness, that we are all the same, that we are all in
this together. Once we access that place, it is very
hard to hate and react in the same way. We see other
people‟s struggles and pain and point of view
around the world, some of them who were my
differently, we are able to see them through a more
mentors, and others who had been a great influence
humane lens. And that‟s the only possible beginning
on me growing up, or later as I was seeking my
for non-violent conflict resolution.
musical voice. The single most influential musician I
grew up listening to, and now have the immense
How do you feel the general American community
privilege of collaborating with, is Bobby McFerrin.
responds to people of Middle Eastern heritage at
The growth I have experienced as a musician and
the present time? Are they gaining greater
human being thanks to him is immeasurable, and for
acceptance?
that I will be forever grateful. Other highlights of my
career include performing and collaborating with
Absolutely. I think with globalization, we have all
Husnu Senlendirici, Javi er Limon, Jamey Haddad,
come to see and accept one another in a different
Binka Dobreva, and the Assad Brothers, all
light. We have more access to each other‟s cultures,
incredible human beings and musicians who have
history, art, music, difficulties... and it's much harder
come to be family to me.
today to turn the other way than it was years ago,
before information travelled so fast. In that sense,
You produced a multi-national peace concert in
the aftermath of 9/11, for which you were
people have become closer as a result of
globalization, and are much more open to celebrating