 Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this press conference from snowy Davos from the 47th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum Thank you for being here in the room. Thank you for joining our live stream and a warm welcome and thank you to our panelists here to do This is the press conference dedicated to the Afghans women's orchestra Sora, I hope I pronounce the name right and Let me quickly introduce to you my wonderful panel here today To my immediate left. I'm joined by Ahmad Sarmast. Who is the founder of the Afghan National Institute of music? He's the founder of the orchestra. I should say and he's also representing the Afghanistan National Institute of music To his left We're joined by Sarifa Adiba who is one of the conductors of this aura orchestra Right at the center of things we're joined by Negin Kholwak Who's also a conductor of the orchestra and last but not least we're joined by my dear colleague Niko Deswani who is responsible at the forum for our arts and culture program and Niko let's start with you share with us why the forum cares about our cultural program and why we brought 40 cultural leaders to Davos this year and of course especially the the Afghan woman orchestra Sora, please Thank You Georg The forum for many many years now for more than 25 years is really thought and believed in the in the power of the arts and the importance of embedding and integrating the arts in everything that we do very much in the way that the arts are So significant to the ways that societies shift that new narratives positive narratives are created and The forum is very supportive of bringing artists who can come and speak truth to power and inspire What the theme is this year the responsive and responsible leadership? So this year they're 40 artists from from many many different parts of the world They're integrated into more than 60 sessions across the program and again artists come and hold up a mirror to society They are meant to shift the dialogue a little bit not to be prescriptive not to necessarily to find solutions but to allow for a different kind of conversation to happen and this project really is is probably the biggest one of the the cultural component of the of the biggest of the of the program this year and When we think of the theme of responsive and responsible leadership and we see what dr. Sarmas than what these young women are Doing the courage that they demonstrate The leadership that they demonstrate I think we can all learn so much from it And so you know on the behalf of the forum all I can say is how delighted and honored we are to have you here and to begin this journey which Which will go on for about ten days with the the tour that that launches here in Davos and then in Zurich in Geneva in Germany In collaboration with local youth orchestras so that this really is a project of intercultural exchange of dialogue of new possibilities Thank You Niko Ahmad Sora is not just any orchestra. It's it's even in the afghan contest It's context is very special because it is the first all-female orchestra in many decades in in a country that has been torn by strife and civil war what inspired you to found the orchestra and What what keeps you inspiring for this work because as many of you know Dr. Sanmas had to face quite considerable resistance to this to this wonderful idea, please the floor is yours Thank you very much. I would like to make a note that the Zora orchestra is not only a very special for Afghanistan But it's generally for special for our region and for the Muslim world as well plus You don't see many women orchestra also in other parts of the world as well in other continents As well. We know that women are very well represented in many orchestras But in Afghanistan we established that particular Orchestra all women orchestras to send a positive message not only to Our own citizen to the afghan people to say the positive Narrative, but at the same time we wanted to show through setting up this program This orchestra also a model for other Muslim countries and for the neighboring countries where still Girls and women are facing enormous challenges and inequality That's why we established the orchestra But I also like to note that the idea of the orchestra all women orchestra does not belong to me It come from one of our students a trumpet player Who when they come to my office and say dr. Sanmas Can we have a small group of our own and I said of course you can have your own group and said Can we have a faculty to assist us to supervise the group and to? Assist and arrange music for us and I said of course you can have this one And then slowly from the girls themselves and the faculty a leg of bogus who was supervising the small group the idea come that let's convert this Small group into something big for all girls and in this manner two and a half years ago the orchestra sort has been Stabilized and within very short period of time given its vision Commitment bravery of the girls who are member of this orchestra the innovative program and the Initiative of the girls themselves made made it a very special achievement for Afghanistan and a very powerful and influential institution which sets The member of the orchestra can save as a wonderful role models for the other young of Afghanistan and also as a model for I'm incipation of women and the representation of women in music arts and culture Thank you very much Sarif Please share with us your experiences in this in this orchestra and as well You are going together with your with your colleagues from the orchestra on your first international tour here Niko mentioned it you having concerts in Switzerland and in in Germany as well So what message are you hoping to send back to Afghanistan and as as dr. Sarmas mentioned to the whole region actually first of all, I want to say hello to everybody who was looking us and being an ensemble and being as a conductor of the first female orchestra in Afghanistan as Pleasure for me to be one of those and the experiences that I have got in this ensemble was unity love hope and More than everything never give up so the girls who are in our ensemble each of them has their own story and that is very interesting for every for the world not just for Afghanistan and now that we all are playing in Switzerland and Davos and we are going to play in Germany with different musicians this is also one of the experience that how music can bring people together from all over the world and The other experience that we can get from these Curbs or an ensemble that we all are playing is especially for our own country Afghanistan Which has never been? having An orchestra or a girls orchestra in our country, so we can bring our people together and we can Share the love that we can do with music Thank you very much and Megan share with us. What what makes music special to you? music is so important for me and special for our orchestra we want to Tell to the other country that Afghan women can do everything and they are not just like sitting in the home like they're thinking So there can do everything and we are just saying that We want freedom in Afghanistan for the woman and we want peace so thank you very much and Without further ado, let's open the floor for questions We do have a microphone here. So if I can get a show of hands If we have any questions Yes, there's a gentleman right at the center, please What is the situation of the orchestra in Afghanistan itself? Is there any criticism against a women's orchestra? The people of Afghanistan loves music and music was always an important element of our society and of our culture But we are living in a society which has been deprived from its voice for several years during the Taliban time and The Taliban of time did not pass without leaving its own imprint in the social fabric of Afghanistan and also in the mentality But practically a generation has been brought up with the Taliban minded mentality And it takes time to re-educate those people and to introduce them to new values But the majority of the Afghan people are fully supportive of the Zora orchestra They're fully support of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music and that's why how we can survive and how we can progress and how we can Take the world by storm It's because of the full support of the ordinary people of Afghanistan But of course we've got the criticism is there the pro-Taliban minded people are there For whom music is a loose practice Musicians are people who are involved in a loose practice, but it's not the mentality of every Afghan It's not the mentality of every family Our girls member of orchestra while enjoying the support of the immediate teens and immediately lifted But there are other member of the family like uncles aunties cousins who are very negative of the involvement of girls in music and education Thank you very much. Let me follow up on on that what you just mentioned There's some resistance or criticism in the wider family You're doing this for some time now Do you see that more and more people see the value of it when they hear the wonderful music? Do you see that music helps you to convince and to create social change? The entire idea behind the establishment of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music Zora He's an element within the Afghanistan National Institute of Music It is a strong Believe in the power of music in the power of arts and culture How music arts and culture can contribute to the reunification of Afghanistan to better understanding of Afghanistan how through music we can Change perception about Afghanistan, which is mainly in the mind of International community who do not have a close contact with Afghanistan and with the Afghan people a place of violence a place of Kalashnikov a place of Negligence of Women rights, but yes, we have all those challenges. We have all those Dramas on a daily life, but again Afghanistan is a place of peace harmony and through music education We are teaching our kids to live in peace and harmony. I respect each other I quite often when I speak to the media I say that The orchestra that we have here is representative of all ethnic group of Afghanistan When they sitting in an orchestra Respecting each other's melodic lines listening to each other supporting each other They also learning that in a normal life outside an orchestra They also can be can have respect for each other for each other's differences They can belong to a totally different ethnic group To a totally religious sect, but by the end of the day as they play in orchestra They can live in peace and harmony and create beauty and build Afghanistan Thank you very much and maybe a question to our two conductors It's a very very simple one and Nico told me the answer already, but many of you in our audience might not know What does Sora actually mean? The name of the orchestra It's not such a simple question after all Please when we put the when we were supposed to choose the name for our orchestra we were like Couriers that what word we should choose for our orchestra because we all wanted a beautiful name Then after a meeting doctor Thomas came to us and said that your orchestra's name is Zohra And we all were like why Zohra then he told us that once upon a time There were two sisters named Zohra and no hate these two sisters were musician like the first Ladies who started music in Afghanistan like and then that time We were like yeah, Zohra is a good name. So we ex out it very good, I just would like to adhere that in Historical myth of Afghanistan and also in Persian classical literature Zohra is a goddess of music arts Patient and love and that's why we selected this name for this orchestra very good But apart from the goddess of music I imagine It must be difficult for you to find role models in Afghan society because you're pioneering You're the first women in many many years to to to be in an all-female orchestra to play instruments to to conduct so Who are kind of your your idols who are the musicians you like very much who are your your favorite? musicians my favorite musician is Like composer Chopin and Beethoven. I really like and I really like to conduct Beethoven 9th Symphony One day our national Orchestra may I hope we have in Afghanistan. You will make it. So it's my yeah, I love Beethoven and Chopin Sarifa, what are your favorite? my favorite composers like all the composers and from baroque period to like modern music till now all the musicians are great but I really love Beethoven because the His life story inspired me the most His personality the way he was the way he was composing and that time everything Was kind of different for me because he was the one who? who just wanted to do what he what he really wanted and Right now in Afghanistan the musicians who are leaving we really need to do what we really want. So I think we I have to Follow the path that Beethoven passed. I think Beethoven would be really honored to if you could hear that today Do we have any more questions from the room? Yes gentlemen in the front here. Could we get the microphone over there, please? There it is Thank you very much. First of all congratulations for your courage for this Orchestra, and I was wondering if you listen also to modern music to pop music rock music and What the who are your preferred? singers or bands I Actually love rock music and beside pop music is my favorite. I really love Adele and And her songs Like she's amazing. I like Shakira and Adele. Yeah Did you have the opportunity to meet Shakira here in Dallas? No, not yet, but I I love to see her. Yeah, okay, I Think we had a question in here. Just Thank you my question is Is for the two female conductors What are the things that you've learned while bringing these group together that could be transferred or shared with the leaders that are here in Davos Thank you for the question Sorry, like I can't understand English very well The first thing that these orchestra includes all women and the girls who are from 12 years old to 18 And 19 years old these girls are living in most difficult time in their country like in my country. We are living With hardships and challenging life, but still we never give up and we are focusing on what on doing good things for not not just for Afghanistan, but the for the betterment of humanism in the world and the message it's really the message for the personalities who are in Davos is that I Really Request them to help those who doesn't have the opportunity in their country to do something Good like we do in our country. There are a lot of countries like Syria like Like like a lot of countries that had that is still has ice ice in them and Wars in them and they're a little bit far from education and a little bit far from music that they those who want to learn So I think in Davos those who are participating. I'm sure that they have the that they have the The power and to help them and to make the facility to give them the Opportunity that they should also show their talent is today Afghan girls that has never been happened in the history of our country They are doing Thank you very much. Negan you want to you want to add to that? Okay, I think one thing we could we could learn as the forum is to have a have a better gender parity At the forum because we have only 20 percent women here So that's that's definitely something Do we have any more questions from the floor? Because if not I'll chip in with one I just also wanted to add to this question just one or two sentences that My message to the international community generally to the people of the influence would be to Please invest more in arts and culture. That's the only way an education, of course That's the only way that we can overcome many challenges that we are facing in developing countries and I strongly believe that music And music education and participation in orchestra teach so many good qualities to the young people and empowers them to make a great Contribution to the betterment of the condition and the situation that we are living today Through music we can teach them to how to respect each other's differences How to get a create a piece of beauty and how to live in peace and harmony So more investment in arts culture and music and of course education. We should should not be neglected as well Thank you very much. Nico. I see you nodding at the other end of the panel. Please just wondering if I could ask a question to ahmar The work that you I mean what we see here is really the tip of the iceberg of all All of the work that you've created and the the institute Could you just share maybe a little bit about what your plans are over the next few years with the anim With the institute and and how the global community can can help Yes, I just would like to say a few more words about the afghanistan national institute of music. It's the I can normally say that afghanistan national institute of music Is a beacon of hope for afghanistan. It's a place which keeps Hope alive within our community and country It's a place that At the same time contributes to so many challenges that the afghan community and afghan people are facing It's a place that not only contributing to gender equality in afghanistan to promoting cultural and musical diversity in the country, but it's a place also Which makes a big impact on the community and transforming the lives of afghan children and afghan youths therefore Our plan is to expand our program to exist to be there to Feel all the musical gaps that exist in afghanistan, but also true music Contribute to the reunification of afghanistan Contribute to gender equality in afghanistan Contribute to poverty evaluation in afghanistan We've got so many programs that we're making a modest Contribution in all those areas that we're facing Co-education that is a cornerstone of the afghanistan national institute of music. It is a significant It is significantly important for tearing apart the gender inequality and the gender differences in afghanistan Commitment to the orphans street working children and women it It is also a small contribution to the Establishment of a just and civil society in afghanistan And also its contribution to the future of afghanistan and therefore we dare to expand our programs. We dare to Create number of orchestras that afghanistan is lacking and true music Show the positive side of afghanistan and also change the perception about afghanistan internationally thank you very much and Coming back to my my earlier question. You're going on this on this Concert journey through switzerland and in germany What are you hoping to learn from your fellow musicians in these countries? But what do you think more importantly that you can teach them and they can learn from you? it's really a great pleasure for us playing with different musicians from switzerland and germany, but i'm really happy because We are playing for the world not just for germany or switzerland because the world is going to watch us and The world is going to have a view a point of view about afghanistan. I know that afghan about afghanistan You guys have a very different point of view like war Taliban isis and a lot of other bad stuff But i'm pretty sure that afghanistan has a lot of beautiful things like zohra ensemble afghanistan has Very strong woman who are cycling Like in afghanistan in that situation who are nominated for the noble peace prize And there are girls who are going to ski Ski and bomean and there are a lot of a lot of positive Image a lot of positive things that is going on in in my country. We are There is war. There is bad things. There is violence against women But i'm i'm so happy that today i got the opportunity zohra ensemble got the opportunity to give a very positive image of afghanistan to the world Beside a bad image We are so so so pleased that we got the opportunity to To show the world that afghanistan is beautiful afghanistan is not what you think So it's it's really important for us that we should Give a good image of that Thank you very much. And i can say i moderated this week so far more than 20 press conferences several heads of state noble laureates I haven't seen any of those press conferences move the audience to tears I'm i'm sorry that Well, it speaks clearly to the to the to the wonderful example and to the to the powerful message you're sending And it shows how much this is touching people And i want to thank you in the name of the forum For being here, but more importantly for the great work you're doing and i wish you all the best for the future. Thank you very much If i may just add one more word about our about the collaboration of swiss musician to our Our girls here it clearly also demonstrated What a big role music can play in bringing people close to each other And it clearly shows also the universal language of music which is understood Throughout the world and it's also allows us so easily Travel between space and time and during this time Probably that's for the first time that swiss musician are getting an opportunity to play afghan pieces But also it's a wonderful opportunity for our girls to play together with swiss musician Ordered to joy or an other western classical pieces. So that's the beauty of music bringing people close to each other Facilitating friendship and understanding. I'm sure that the 30 girls from afghanistan will be returning back to afghanistan With a huge list of new friends that they will be making here in swiss alone Absolutely, and you started to make a lot of friends here today. Thank you very much. Thank you everyone. Thank you