On the occasion of Europe Day 2010, the European Union will celebrate the strong relations between Europe and Jordan by holding a joint concert with Jordanian singer Yazan al Rousan with his band Autostrad, and the Spanish-Syrian band Orontes Project. The concert will be held on the Friday, 7 May at 7pm in the Amphitheatre of King Hussein Park. It is free of charge and open to the public.
On Europe Day, the European Union is celebrating a united, free and democratic Europe, an experience the EU seeks to share with Jordanian partners and the public.
"EU's partnership with Jordan is longstanding but the year 2010 is a special one, as we endeavour to enhance our relations for the benefit of both the Jordanians and Europeans. We look to all areas of our co-operation – energy, transport, education, good governance and others - to determine how we can accompany Jordan's home-grown efforts. Of course, the commitment to shared values such as the rule of law and respect of human rights will continue to be the guiding principle of our co-operation.", explained H.E. Mr. Patrick Renauld, the Head of the EU Delegation to Jordan.
The ongoing discussions on enhanced status should result in an intensified dialogue between Jordan and Europe at the government and citizen levels. If Jordan understands the dynamics of the new Euro-Jordanian relationship it can realise ambitions they previously thought were unobtainable.
The 7 May concert celebrates the common European and Jordanian heritage. A Spanish group with Arabic musical influences and a Jordanian band that combines Jordan's rich musical traditions combined with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds will perform together in one concert. The concert is also a celebration of Jordan's and Europe's cultural potential and pride. The performance aims to foster an open and creative dialogue between the two neighbours, Europe and Jordan.
The EU recognizes that Jordan's rich cultural heritage can empower new generations and that cultural discourse in the creative arts, including music, theatre, language and literature can play an important role in creating mutual admiration and understanding between Jordan and the European Union. The EU also seeks to learn more about Jordanian culture and art and engage citizens from all backgrounds and of society in a communal dialogue.
The Jordanian band Autostrad with its lead singer Yazan al Rousan is a vibrant and interactive band with a felt harmony among its players. The Amman band is composing a new musical experience of World and Oriental music mixed with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds of each member plus the alternative lyrics of the band.
Orontes Project, named after the river crossing the Syrian city of Homs and founded by Spanish and Syrian musicians, is a musical effort faithful to the intercultural aim in which it was conceived; with a repertoire consisting of traditional Arabic music, Basque and Castilian songs, the purpose was to perform the Arab songs Spanish-wise and vice versa. The final result is a special and rich sound made with traditional Arabic and European instruments such as oud, medieval citole, alboka, riqq or tambourine.
