Orchestras of the Americas for Social Inclusion_Organization of American States

May 27, 2009

OAS AND ICDF SIGN AGREEMENT TO PROMOTE YOUTH ORCHESTRAS IN THE CARIBBEAN

OAS Press release

The Organization of American States (OAS), through its Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, and the Inter-American Culture and Development Foundation (ICDF), through its president Cosette Alves, sign a Memorandum of Understanding to promote children and youth orchestras in the Caribbean at an event held Tuesday at the Inter-American Development Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC.

According to the agreement, the OAS Orchestra Program for Youth at Risk in the Caribbean will be the first beneficiary of the ICDF’s Bank of Musical Instruments, a project designed to support institutions such as orchestras, choruses, ballets and dance and theater groups mainly by channeling donations of musical instruments.

Secretary General Insulza highlighted at the event that the OAS is “proud” to collaborate with ICDF in a program representing “a milestone that will benefit low-income children and youths participating in orchestra training programs in the Latin American and Caribbean region.”

“The high cost traditionally associated to musical instruments has become a burden for youth orchestra programs and the ICDF is now presenting a long awaited alternative for which we are grateful,” he said.

Mr. Insulza also stressed that the OAS has already signed a cooperation agreement with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas (YOA) towards the implementation of the OAS program in Haiti, Jamaica and Saint Lucia. YOA is also offering technical assistance to the OAS Department of Cultural Affairs, and it will soon initiate a similar process with the Venezuelan Children and Youth Orchestra System.