Dear Marcel Khalife,
We are writing to express our sincere disappointment at your decision to cancel your performances at Womadelaide and in Sydney in protest at our decision to also present Israeli singer Chava Alberstein.
Womadelaide and Womad has a proud tradition of presenting artists from many cultures in the hope that the artistry and musicianship can rise above the nonetheless real and distressing issues of day to day politics. Until this day we have always succeeded in providing a bridge between cultures we are distressed to realise that you are unable to see beyond the political enmity currently at play due to the situation in the Middle East.
This is particularly sad given that the work and lyrics of both yourself and Ms Alberstein reach out for peace and scorn the politics of war, notwithstanding the particular issues or views at play in the current crises.
For the record you should be aware that we as festival organisers approached the Embassy of Israel in order to seek some financial support towards the costs of travel for Ms Alberstein and her party and this was done not only without her knowledge but at a time when we had made a commitment to present her in advance of any support being confirmed from the Embassy. In the same way we have approached and received support from the Government of France for Rokia Traore and without success, we approached the Governments of the UK & the USA. Presenting a festival on the scale of Womadelaide requires a significant level of financial support from governments, sponsors and corporations; much in the same way as your own participation was required acknowledgment for the support of the Australian Arabic Council.
I must also say that in my own experience in presenting artists over many festivals, the best way to get a message to an audience of any kind is for them to perform their art and to thus communicate.
Nevertheless we must be bound by your decision and your views just as we are remain deeply distressed by them.
We clearly hope, like all reasonable people, that the situation in the Middle East can be resolved peacefully very soon and that you will one day be able to feel that the arts and music has more to unite people than to divide them.
Yours sincerely,
IAN SCOBIE
Event Director
Womadelaide
