A group of 25 children and young people from the small West African coastal country of Benin were the stars of the benefit concert at Serenates on Saturday, 29 June. The voices of the children of Benin are touring Spain, and came to the festival co-produced by the Universitat de València and the Cultural Institute of Valencia to raise awareness of children’s rights.
<i>Voces por Benín</i> is the name of the school run by the Together for Life Foundation in Abomey-Calavi (Benin). Throughout the year, the Valencian foundation offers musical and artistic training courses to children from this African country as a complement to their studies and their values education. During summer, the teaching staff selects 25 children and young people, among the 200 students at the school, to travel to Spain and embark on a summer tour.
The children and young people were able to perform African rhythms in the cloister of the UV and talk about their rights through music. They became the spokespeople of African childhood through songs, dances and percussion, and conveyed a message of hope and justice for the world through their voices, dances and colourful clothing that radiated optimism, in a day open to the general audience, in which the presence of families with children stood out.
Each performance of the tour is unique, and music in different languages, such as Swahili or Zulu could be heard at the La Nau Cultural Centre concert. The languages of the sister continent were fused with European themes, and on other occasions, they delighted the audience with unpublished songs.
On stage were fifteen drummers, with Richard Covena and two great Valencian musicians: Director of the Federation of Children's and Youth Choirs of the Valencian Community Christian García Marco and pianist Andreu Soler, who participate in this year’s tour. The project’s musical director was Jean Bankole and the artistic director Clara Arnal, who was an amazing master of ceremonies and presented this special concert, full of life and energy.
