FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Invite: International launch of Poverty Requiem

Glasgow, United Kingdom 2007-05-23 Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow

The Poverty Requiem is a new musical piece for choir and percussion that gives as many people as possible a chance to raise their voice politically and musically in the struggle against world poverty. On May 24th, during the Civicus World Assembly in Glasgow, a 230-strong choir will launch the piece to a global audience calling for repeat performances later in the year.

Composed by Peter Massian, the Poverty Requiem is a vocal work, consisting of five movements reflecting the different ways poverty effects people: suffering, anger, mourning, humour and hope. Sylvia Borren, the Director General of Oxfam Novib in the Netherlands, penned the lyrics.

“The idea of the Poverty Requiem emerged from the need to make two-thirds of the world’s population feel what they already know about the one-third and their daily struggle for survival. This musical manifestation is asking for everybody’s attention; the public’s attention, the media’s, that of politics and that of everybody who wants to listen.”  says Sylvia.

In Glasgow the Poverty Requiem will be performed by members of the National Youth Choir of Scotland and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Chorus and directed by Peter Maissan.  A scratch choir will also participate in the performance. Later this year on October 17th tens of thousands of singers are expected to perform the piece in sequence as part of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

More information on the Poverty Requiem can be found at:

http://www.povertyrequiem.org/index.php?id=&lan=EN

To book an interview and to confirm attendance please contact:

Ciara O’Sullivan
GCAP Media Coordinator
Tel: + 34 679 594 809 or
in Scotland from May 22nd -27th  + 44 7767 24 68 80)
ciara_os@hotmail.com
ciara.osullivan@civicus.org

Irheen de Vries
Oxfam Novib
Tel:   0031 (0)6 22 54 37 67
E-mail: Production@povertyrequiem.org irheen.de.vries@oxfamnovib.nl

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