Following the brutal ethnic cleansing that ravaged Kosovo in the late 1990s, Liz Shropshire wanted to find a way to help the tens of thousands of children living in refugee camps.听
So in 1999, the Los Angeles-based composer and music educator solicited donations of听听$5,000 worth of instruments and headed off to the city of Gjakove, Kosovo. There she set up a music-education program at a camp. The next year she founded the Kosovo Children鈥檚 Music Initiative for education and performance programs and the听.听
In 2004 and 2005, respectively, she brought the program to two more 鈥渃onflict zones鈥�: Northern Ireland, where the program brought segregated Catholic and Protestant children together for after-school programs; and to refugee camps in Uganda, where children flee to avoid being kidnapped and forced to become child soldiers.
Shropshire will speak about the foundation鈥檚 work at the CU-Boulder College of Music on Nov. 14, hosted by the local collegiate chapter of the National Association for Music Education. There also will be an informal follow-up meeting on Nov. 15.听
鈥淭his event is open to everybody,鈥� says graduate student Bethany Nickel, who is coordinating the event. 鈥淟iz Shropshire uses music, but her work is also a model for anyone interested in global awareness and peace.鈥澨�
There is a lot of political and global awareness 鈥� they are teaching children peace through music.鈥澨�
A United Nations report on the 鈥淚mpact of Armed Conflict on Children鈥� has found that programs that provide 鈥渙pportunity for expression and structured activities such as school, play and sports,鈥� are the most effective way to address the trauma of children living in conflict zones.听
According to its mission statement, the Shropshire Music Foundation鈥檚 鈥済oal is to help children know that they always have the power to make their own choices, that the path of peace leads to happiness and security, that weapons do not equal power and safety, and that violence is not the answer.鈥�
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WHAT: Liz Shropshire, founder of the听, will speak about the foundation鈥檚 work bringing music to children in conflict zones
WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 14, with reception to follow
WHERE: Imig Music Theater, CU-Boulder College of Music
TICKETS: Free and open to the public
INFO: Email听Bethany.nickel@colorado.edu听or call 970-396-8841
ETC.: There will be an informal follow-up meeting from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 in Imig C113.
