The association
Our vocation - Singing, one of the possible tools of repair and resilience
For these children scarred by war,
resilience is:
• regain confidence in oneself and in life, to project oneself into the future,
• rebuild internally to live a dignified existence,
• bounce, find the moral spring to move forward,
• resist to inner destruction,
• Turn the situation around : from victims, they become actors of their futures,
• sing again their lives ; choral singing lightens the weight of their traumatic experiences.
Make voices resonate,
Give meaning to sounds again.
Make words that carry values vibrate.
This is the objective of “Voices Without Borders”.
I created this association in 2017, after a series of reports for ARTE in a refugee camp in Uganda, on the border with South Sudan, a place where voices were stifled by the tragedy of war and exile. Raising the voice of these exiles or those left behind through choral singing has become the priority of this association. Since 2017, 60 Ugandans living in a region ravaged by years of civil war have participated in vocal workshops. Young people who give more than their voice. In each sound, a story, that of a damaged life, but also that of a future under reconstruction.
Today, I am proud to have been joined in this great adventure by volunteers here and there, whose dedication I salute. This combined energy allowed us to build a musical family across borders with these young Ugandans.
“Without music, life would be a mistake, a backbreaking task, an exile” wrote Friedrich Nietzsche.
So let's sing and share music together! To travel, to meet Others, is to grow. It's the great adventure. The one that leaves traces in the soul.
Come and discover this human adventure!
Our key dates
Reports by Sophie Rosenzweig for ARTE.
Ugandan Bidi-Bidi camp on South Sudanese border opened
in emergency in August 2016, to respond to the humanitarian needs of South Sudanese refugees fleeing the civil war which had raged in their country since
2013. As of 2016, the camp welcomes more than 495 people, mainly women and children.
Creation of Voices without Borders
First workshop in Lira with the “Children of Peace” association
Multiple workshops
February 2018 – Workshop for trainers
June 2018 – Second workshop at Lira concert in Kampala
Jan 2019 – 1st workshop at Bidi Bidi with Lira’s children. The children of Lira trained by Strasbourg choir directors come to support the rehearsals of a choir of 500 refugees in Bidi Bidi.
June 2019 – 3rd workshop for Lira’s children
Health emergency
• Making masks, fundraising in Strasbourg,
• Food distribution (state of emergency COVID_19)
• Participation in the Sentiers d’étoiles project, sale of soups made
by great starred chefs at the end of the year.
Concerts, for resonance without Borders
A concert in Europe
We want the children of Lira and Bidi Bidi to be able to show their talents, this is the aim of creating a concert entitled
“The Song of Possibilities”
A dozen young Ugandans were invited to
France, in June / July 2022, to sing and testify to other young people from Alsace and Brittany. These young Ugandans shared the stage with Alsatian, Parisian and Breton singers.
Resumption of rehearsals in Lira
There are 35 of them who have registered. Ready to start singing and writing their repertoire again with a view to touring next summer.
The Management Committee
The Association, non-profit, aims to promote in France and internationally the learning of singing and musical education for all, particularly in refugee camps. To this end, the association works to implement, in particular:
- all means enabling it to carry out its activity,
- all means tending to promote research, training, scientific and cultural, national and international activities relating thereto,
- all steps aimed at generating donations, legacies, or loans from patrons, partners, French or foreign,
- the organization of meetings and working times, public or private, in order to implement its objectives.
The association works in collaboration with international organizations, governments and local authorities, public or private organizations, and national and regional communities. The association uses for its activities the skills of professionals in culture, education, information and communication or management as well as teachers, researchers and academics. It expresses itself through various means, social networks, conferences, meetings and concerts in order to inform and raise awareness among the general public, donors and various French and international institutions. She can also edit posts and videos.
It can found, manage, direct or sponsor works of various kinds (club, musical groups, concerts, etc.).
Some testimonials
Reading list
Press articles
