The tribute to Edward Said by Daniel Barenboim was truly beautiful. After hearing from Miriam Said about her husband's works done during his lifetime as a professor, writer, and intellectual, I was excited to read more about Said. It seemed like he truly did a little bit of everything, like many try to do in life, but he differs because he succeeded in works and was a true progressive. Barenboim and Said came from the same geographic location, but their ideas about the land and the conflict differed as Barenboim is Russian and Said in Jerusalem while under the British Mandate. As scholars, they were open to each other's ideas and within their various disciplines. This open-mindedness aided in their friendship and collaboration, and continue to make progress and allow people to address the conflict from a new perspective. Barenboim's tribute to Said expressed many sides of Said's work from a place of respect and admiration for a colleague and close friend.
Their partnership bridged much more than the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and this was definitely reflected in the Western-Eastern Divan Orchestra. The Barenboim-Said Foundation helps to create cultural meeting points for Israelis and Palestinians, so they are focused on the activity or ultimate task. It seems like looking at the conflict from an entirely political stand point has not worked in the past. A change within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will have to come from a new angle, unless the situation changes dramatically within the near future.
It was truly amazing to see that although such a large group of people are in conflict, friendships can really have such a strong impact. Sometimes it isn't politics that solves problems, but cultural activities such as music. Said and Barenboim are miracle workers.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree it was really remarkable to see how these two men have forged such an amazing friendship despite of the the Israeli Palestinian conflict. I think their program is truly inspiring, and they are doing something great not only by bringing this orchestra together and teaching these students, but by teaching them a more important lesson. Said Barenboim are showing these young adults that arabs and Jews or anyone for that matter can get along if they want to, and that once they set aside their differences, they are really not that different at all.
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