Words Beats & Life Representing Peace Building in Washington DC Through Arts

Betty Bigombe Gets Dutch Rights Prize For peace Effort

Officials lead Ms Bigombe to the venue of the ceremony 

The Former Chief Mediator between the Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army, Betty Bigombe has been awarded the Geuzen Medal for 2010 for her efforts to end the war in northern Uganda.

The medal which honours people who fight for democracy or against dictatorship, discrimination and racism was awarded to Ms Bigombe in Vlaardingen in the Netherlands.

“The fact that this year’s Geuzen Medal is being awarded to Betty Bigombe makes it even more special for me because I lived in Uganda for several years,” said Ms Yoka Brandt, director-General for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Her work is a shining example of what can be achieved if you seize every opportunity to negotiate, even if it means working against all odds.”

Last year, the medal went to the Palestinian human rights group Al-Hag and Israeli organisation B’Tselem.

Ms Bigombe, also a former Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister is one of the few individuals that have negotiated with the LRA leadership personally.

This was between 1993 and 1994.
She again met the LRA leaders in 2004 to try to persuade them to return to the negotiation table.

However, since 2008, Kony has refused to talk with the government.
The war lasted for two decades, killed thousands of people, saw over 80,000 children abducted and turned into child soldiers, and displaced about 1.7 million people.

Who is Bigombe?

• She is a former Uganda government minister and consultant to the World Bank.
• Has been involved in peace negotiations to end the insurgency of the Lord’s Resistance Army since 1994.
• As of 2005 she was acting as chief mediator between the LRA and government.
• Has a masters degree from Harvard University.
• Currently a senior fellow at the US Institute of Peace
• Named Uganda’s Woman of the Year in 1993
• Left govt in 1996 after failing to become Gulu MP

International Music Spotlight: Ugandan Hip Hop "LUGA FLOW"

Those who know my musical taste know I’m a big fan of world music (Putamayo, anyone?) – both traditional cultural music as well as the more modern fusion of ethnic sounds with, say, an awesome dance beat. As such, I’ve decided to start an international music spotlight series with occasional posts highlighting specific genres from specific cultures each time. Off we go!




I’m no expert when it comes to hip hop, that’s for damn sure. But I do know when I hear something I like. And I like a lot of hip hop…and how revolutionary its artists can be. Some of them truly empower their followers with their impassioned lyrics. Some of them are heroes in their communities and fierce activists. Hip hop* is music with a purpose.



*Obviously, I’m referring to the underground (or at least less mainstream) artists whose works are centered around poignant topics like political corruption, poverty, war, HIV, social change etc…NOT mainstream “hip pop” stars who rap about meaningless crap (e.g. money, drugs, sex) but have catchy beats that propel their songs to success in the clubs and on the charts…though those artists certainly have a right to their place in the musical spectrum.



The global hip hop scene could be conceived of as being still in its infancy – at least in terms of large scale awareness. Despite an increasing number of destinations like Flight 808, an international hip hop site/blog, and Nomadic Wax, a “record label, production company and events production company specializing in hip-hop and underground music from around the globe”, most international underground hip hop is, you know, still underground.

Today, I chose to spotlight Uganda, because my aunt has been working in Kampala for several years and it’s next on my wish list of places to travel to.



Ugandan Hip Hop (Lugaflow)
An excellent starting point is this documentary called Diamonds in the Rough:

O’Reilly Radar has a good description of the film, which follows Bataka Squad, a Ugandan hip hop group who raps in their native tongue, Luganda, and uses their art form to raise awareness of local issues, inspire youth and do all kinds of good. Click here for a brief history of the group.




Bataka Squad is a great example of a local group who refuses to sell out and play the kind of music that is popular in favor of staying true to their roots and disseminating their message. Thanks to their perseverance, they have not only garnered a local following among Ugandan youth but have caught the attention of a more international audience ranging from the first African hip hop summit in South Africa in 2005 to the Power to the Peaceful Festival in San Francisco in 2007. They even met Bill Clinton.



After the Artist Activism workshop that I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been thinking more and more about the inherent power of music and its ability to empower people, spread positive messages of hope and change and educate the international community about local issues.

THE FIRST ANNUAL WASHINGTON DC HIP HP& PEACE BUILDING FIL FESTIVAL

[Washington DC Press Release]


The First Annual Washington DC Hip Hop & Peacebuilding Festival features 5 Days devoted to Hip Hop promoting peace in the world!

Wed, 16 Apr 2008
From D.C. to Dakar there is only one universal language: Hip Hop. The first annual DC Hip Hop & Peacebuilding Festival will showcase Hip Hop as a cultural global movement that is transforming a generation toward a future of peace. This event will feature 5 days of hip hop events and nightly live performances with artists from five nations, coming together in one place to increase awareness of political and social turmoil in the world and the role hip hop can play in empowering youth to maximize their potential. With an alarming number of youth turning toward extremism and violence, new approaches to conflict resolution and peacebuilding must be crafted. As Hip Hop continues to spread and connect with youth on a global level it is important that this artistic cultural movement be understood and harnessed to facilitate conflict transformation and transcend conflict narratives.



The first of its kind, DC's Hip Hop & Peacebuilding Festival will bring hip hop artists together with conflict resolution experts, community leaders, educators and activists to examine what is working in Hip Hop and how together we can do more to empower and transform communities by uniting the hip hop generation. DC artists will perform alongside artists from Uganda , Haiti , Tanzania , and Senegal & Palestine bridging the divide to achieve global impact. This event is a gift to the community in celebration of the energy and heart of hip hop and its potential to achieve positive social change in the world.

Stacy Willyard Festival Director: "The core of hip hop lies within the beat, the beat is what you can feel, and it is the element that connects. In order to prevent destructive conflict we must find more ways to connect and humanize one another. Hip hop allows us to do this by finding a common beat."



For more information and complete details visit http://www.beats4peace.org./
Full Schedule of Events
Wednesday April 16
DC premiere of "Diamonds in the Rough" A Ugandan Hip Hop Revolution
3:00 pm
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Kick Off International Hip Hop Show featuring Da Negus (Haiti/France), Regime Change (NYC/Haiti), Rah-P ( Tanzania ), Babaluku ( Uganda ), Flex Mathews (DC), and others.

9:00 pm
DC9 Music Club

Thursday April 17
African video conference call with Kenya's Hip Hop Parliament

9:00 am
Institute for Conflict Analysis & Resolution
Sounds of the City DC Hip Hop Showcase featuring incredibly talented artists from throughout the Metro DC area.

8:00 pm
Bohemian Cavern Jazz Club

Friday April 18

Academic Panel "Can Hip Hop Beat Conflict?"

2:00 pm
United States Institute of Peace
DC Hip Hop Summit & Freestyle Cipher

 

6:00 pm

 Atlas Theatre

Sat. April 19

Peacebuilding & Arts Workshop

4:00 pm Atlas Theatre

Academic Panel "Hip Hop 2.0"

6:30 pm Atlas Theatre

Global Hip Hop Global Citizenship Hip Hop Show featuring DC artists performing alongside Sabreena da Witch (Palestine), Baay Musa (Senegal), Azbac (Senegal), Dumi (Zimbabwe/USA), Babaluku (Uganda), Rah-P (Tanzania)

 

8:00 pm Atlas Theatre

 

Monday April 21

African All-Stars "Democracy in Dakar "

12:00 pm

George Mason University

This Festival was made possible by the following organizations, United States Institute of Peace, Institute for Conflict Analysis & Resolution, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Project Nur, Rosetta Stoned, Nomadic Wax, and Subterranean Network.

Contact: Stacy Willyard 480.518.6595 transformationalart@gmail.com

The rise of Hip Hop In Uganda and how its has changed the lives of youth in Uganda

DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH AT PAN AFRICA FILM FESTIVAL

PAN AFRICAN FILM FESSTIVAL

The incredible journey of the hip-hop group, the

Bataka Squad, from the riot-torn streets of Uganda to
the concrete jungle of the United States. The group
uses hip-hop to spread awareness of their country's
troubles and is more concerned with global change
than the change in their pockets, in sharp contrast to
commercialized American gangster rap.

Diamond in the Rough Featured  in the PAFF