Saturday, October 31, 2009

Mira Awad in 'Dancing with the stars'

DANCING WITH THE STARS


Like in many other countries in Isreal too exists the popular dancing competition show...''Dancing with the stars'' where our sweety Mira is participating. Her partner is Danny Yochtman and by her own words that she confessed to us in her FB page...He is amazing and she is having so much fun that she actually fell in love with dancing :)))

Here you can see the glimps of rehersal of Mira and Danny.

And even though who don't understand hebrew (like me) it's clearly seen how much fun she has. She is actualy glowing and spreading all that positive energy that she seems carrying with herself in whatever she does. :) Gorgeous...isn't she?? :-)



Monday, October 12, 2009

Breakfast in Tel Aviv, lunch in Ramallah and dinner in Damascus



Mira Awad the Palestinian singer and Israeli singer Noa are in preparations before singing in Arabic, Hebrew and English with the stunning paisage of San Juan of Acre. The first with a cup of coffee in her hands and second with cup of tea. Outside this small detail and their background, the two artists have much in common: they are women with strong personality, don't care about criticism of their own and others, have an amazing voice and share a stage with message of reconciliation .

This week the message was exhibited in the place where exactly a year ago were experienced violent riots between Jews and Arabs. "I've invited you to our Festival to show that we can live in peace. Noa and Mira represent what we aspire to be," says Mayor Shimon Lankri.

"Nine years ago I've searched for a Palestinian artist to do joint projects for coexistence. I have found Mira and here we are," says Noa while her partner nods.

In conversation with elmundo.es, Noa and Mira speak openly. They declared that they are "in love with Spanish public and life in Spain" but the israeli does not forget the boycott of the group for her recent performance in Barcelona on the occasion of National Day of Catalonia.

Question: What do you remember of that act?

Noa: It was very traumatic because the group came just to annoy me. They whistled constantly. They wanted to humiliate me and force me to stop singing. It was terrible but I am a very stubborn person and not got off the stage, I kept saying what I think in Catalan. In the third song, 'Life is Beautiful',there was silence. Unfortunately it is very easy for a vocal minority to impose on the silent majority and they become hostages of their ideas.

Q: Do you understand your boycott?

Noa: I think that this group, as as also the radical left in Europe, are looking for a fight. I've heard Pilar Rahola, a very brave woman, saying that they needed something new to replace the cap of Che Guevara and they found the Palestinian keffiya. Many times they have no idea what they are talking. They don't do favors to the Palestinian people and do not help advance the dialogue. I'm for peace and dialogue. These people are so obsessed with being against that and I still do not understand what they are in favor.

Q: They justified their protest because of your support for Israel's military offensive in Gaza ...

Noa: For my words during the war in Gaza when I criticized the group of Hamas. I do not redraw it, because I do not think that their agenda represents will of the Palestinian people, but this is my personal opinion. You can not be in favor of peace and support Hamas, which is very extreme. It's absurd. I support many Palestinians who struggle to have peace. But because I support the idea of two states for two peoples they can't demand that I support Hamas. I can not, sorry. If you have a problem with that, it is a problem with me.

Mira: And me! I have no words to describe my sorrow for what Noa lived in Barcelona. People invest so much energy and strength to shout out against a singer who for 18 years has continually criticized policies of her Government and the Army and who opposes the Israeli occupation. Instead of attacking Noa they should go to the UN, Obama, Abu Mazen, Netanyahu, Hamas ... To boycott the government but not a singer.

Q: You tend to cause much attention when traveling together?

Mira: Yes, at a performance in Italy we got a nasty surprise. At first we were with emotions to see so many Palestinians and some Israeli flags. We were so proud. We saw many Keffiyas! I usually wear the Keffiya and I'm proud of it because it is a symbol of Palestinian identity. But suddenly we saw the slogans of hatred and they were calling us 'killers'. My keffiya from always against a hate-filled one as if I were a killer. I have always rejected and condemned the killing of people, wherever religion they are.


Q: Several Palestinian artists criticized you for representing Israel at Eurovision ...

Mira:I was harshly criticized "how I could represent Israel after when that country was killing my people." They accused me of being part of Israeli propaganda. But I say that from '48, the two sides have done bad things. We must remember the history that is very bad.

Noa: Our message reached many people, we received good feedback from everyone, also from Spain. It was a very hard time because Eurovision was held just three months after the war in Gaza. It was hard to play together but we said that is the best time to claim our message.


Mira: I wonder, 'When there is no war in this area?' There are days or weeks of truce and then others of violence again.

Q: The mayor of this city says you invited to the festival following clashes last year ...

Mira: The Festival represents the coexistence between Jews and Arabs. Last year, the truce was broken and the Festival was postponed. It was important to come to say that we can live together and that there is respect between peoples and religions.

Noa: There is no natural instinct of war and violence. People can live in peace if given the chance.

Q: Honestly, do not you think that what you do is just like a grain of sand? Peace is still far away ...

Mira: If our message is captured by a single person, every effort was worthwhile and modestly I think we have reached more than one. We have opened a little window into the harsh reality that can be seen in the news.

Noa: I think that we are very close to peace ...There is progress. For example, before in Israel, few dared to speak out in support of a Palestinian state and most do that today. Now it's only about negotiating the price to reach an agreement.

Q: Finally, what is your dream?
Noa: Be present at the ceremony of peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians. Perhaps let me sing (laughs).

Mira: Breakfast in Tel Aviv, lunch in Ramallah and dinner in Damascus.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Voces de las tres culturas


Voices of three cultures


CORDOBA, 2 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) --

The Israeli artist Noa, the Palestinian artist Mira Awad, the singer Miguel Poveda and Algerian musician Rachid Taha will be in October 10 at the concert "Voices of the three cultures'', which will be held on the occasion of the inauguration of the Institutional Headquarter and Area of Integrational Management of Joint Archaeological center ''Madinat al-Zahra''.

In a statement, the Delegate of Culture in the Andalucía en Córdoba, Joaquín Dobladez, said he wanted to have these international figures that "symbolize the three cultures that lived together peacefully during the Caliphate period, heyday of Madinat al - Zahra ".

He explained that "this concert will be a referal in the defense of peace, dialogue and tolerance between different cultures through music," so he encouraged everyone to participate in this "big show" with which " Cordoba, through the means Al-Andalus, will put their grain of sand on the implementation of projects that enhance the dialogue between cultures, like the Alliance of Civilizations ".

Noa, who will come to Cordoba with the Palestinian artist Mira Awad is one of the leading Israeli artists and a strong advocate of dialogue for achieveing peace, a role that has made her earn awards including the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum held Davos (Switzerland). In this concert she will perform tracks from her latest work "Genes & Jeans', probably her most evocative and exciting repertoire.


Rachid Taha is part of the new generation of Algerian musicians who combine the rhythms of his country folk expressions with western music. In his album he combines reflections, dreams, emotions and memories.

For his part, Miguel Poveda, winner of 'Premio Nacional de Música' in 2007. He has countless awards. He has collaborated with great artists from flamenco gente 'til pop and he gave his voice in to film soundtracks such as 'Broken Embraces', by Pedro Almodovar. His latest album, 'Verses of willing' is proving very successful.


The concert will be free and held in Argentina Street outside of Cordoba.

Translated in english by me...