The below guest blog post is authored by Brian Unger, an American musician and music producer who led the 2010 Music Exchange Program in Damascus, Syria. This is the first of a series of posts by Mr. Unger that explores his experience in Syria.
As the 757 touched down on the runway in Syria, the sun was setting and dusk was about to paint its veil across the desert. I was filled with an odd mixture of exhilaration and apprehension. My mind began to race, as I had no idea what to expect from this land of antiquity.
I knew I was not about to enter a world of One Thousand and One Nights, but I was hopeful that the negative stereotypes of the region we hear about back home would be unfounded. A friend had pointed out the Bible story of St. Paul’s revelation and conversion on the road to Damascus. What were the odds that I might experience a revelation of my own?
The Open Hands Initiative’s mission is to spark new dialogue between the US and Syria on a grassroots level. My mission in Syria was to capture the music of the region and bring it back to the US for distribution. This would be my first foray into citizen diplomacy.
I have always believed in the power of music, as a universal language, and as a potential vehicle for change. That voices raised in a chorus of unity could change the way things are in often striking ways. What I would find over the next seven days was a land where the Damascene people, like people everywhere, want to live their lives as meaningfully as circumstances allow, and to pass a better world on to their children.
Check back soon for more about the music program.