The Voices For Peace concert at Shangri-La Colombo, that the Daily News attended was extraordinary. The music was sublime. It was a stroke of genius featuring Bette Midler’s song as the final song because the entire song captured all that the concert was about. It captured the entire message and purpose of the concert – to make people aware of the importance of unity, the importance of harmony between the religions/communities, the importance of loving kindness between people and the importance of understanding and peace between communities.
The festival, held from July 24 to 30, perfectly describes the vision and dream of Haadia Galely, Co-Founder – Executive Director of the Muslim Choral Ensemble and World Muslim Choral Ensemble and the Founder Executive Director of the World Interfaith Choral Ensemble. The festival brought together artistes from around the world to showcase their talents.
The Voices For Peace concert featured songs from many different faiths and it was obvious that so much love and care had been put into the making of the concert. The concert itself was amazing because it was done on such a large scale. The concert featured a vast number of performers and it is obvious that Haadia and all involved with the concert had exerted themselves to the maximum to make the concert happen. The performances were well coordinated and the most endearing thing 
about the concert was that everyone was on the same page! Everyone on stage was doing it all in the name of love, peace, unity, compassion and fostering understanding and peace.
Artistic Director Professor Andre De Quadros commented:
“It is wonderful to be a part of the Sama International Choral Festival which is the vision of Haadia Galely. It is her incredible work that has brought us to where we are now. For the Muslim Choral Ensemble it has been an amazing journey. We have taken part in some incredible events – Yale International Choral festival and the London International Music Festival.
And then last year the establishment of the World Muslim Choral Ensemble. It was a really wonderful event. We had participating musicians from Iran and the United States and our very own Muslim Choral Ensemble. This year we are launching the Sama International Choral Festival. Sama means in Islamic culture ‘Listening’. In Indonesian it means ‘to be together with’.
At the Sama International Choral Festivalwe want to highlight the importance of building bridges between communities, fostering peace and understanding between communities, spreading the message of love, compassion and kindness.Finally I must add that listening requires humility. It is so important to listen as that helps bring about understanding and empathy. Are you listening to what others are saying?”
One of the performers, Nick Beary, had this to say:
“This festival is incredibly wonderful. If you take all these groups of people, everyone has music in their culture and everyone has something to share. It is all about listening and sharing, and it is worth listening to people. Getting to know everyone in person is so rewarding. And that has been truly wonderful. There are some songs we all know, but there are other songs we teach. I am really grateful to Haadia for guiding us. This festival is tremendously exciting. It is wonderful to be in Sri Lanka. A beautiful place with such kind and welcoming people.”
Performer Nicky Manlove commented:
“I am from the USA, and I think this festival is incredible. It is so powerful to have so many people here from so many different countries. It is about building bridges between communities and building dialogue. It is so important and I am so happy to be here. I am so excited because we have been working so hard and so long to prepare for this and now it is finally happening. For me this festival is about peace and building relationships, getting to know each other and getting to know each others’ cultures.
Performer Krystal Morin commented:
“This is an incredible opportunity to come to South East Asia as an American. It is great to experience the culture and understand Sri Lankan culture and Islamic music traditions. But the merging of traditions from all over, bringing in guest instrumentalists from Iran, India, from all of these places. It is a beautiful opportunity to gather together and make communion with people, people you might have never had the opportunity to meet and learn from! The beautiful people I have met here have taught me so much about Sri Lankan culture. The history and the surrounding beauty of the country is so interesting.”
The last event was held at the Lionel Wendt Hall, which provided the perfect setting for the grand finale.
From a distance, the world looks blue and green
And the snow-capped mountains white
From a distance, the ocean meets the stream
And the eagle takes to flight
From a distance, there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
It’s the voice of hope
It’s the voice of peace
It’s the voice of every man
From a distance, we all have enough
And no one is in need
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease
No hungry mouths to feed
From a distance, we are instruments
Marching in a common band
Playing songs of hope
Playing songs of peace
They’re the songs of every man
God is watching us
God is watching us
God is watching us
From a distance
From a distance, you look like my friend
Even though we are at war
From a distance, I just cannot comprehend
What all this fighting’s for
From a distance, there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
And it’s the hope of hopes
It’s the love of loves
It’s the heart of every man
It’s the hope of hopes
It’s the love of loves
This is the song for every man
And God is watching us
God is watching us
God is watching us
From a distance
Oh, God is watching us
God is watching
God is watching us
From a distance”
– Last song sung by Bette Midler at the Voices For Peace concert. This song captures the very essence of the Sama International Choral Festival.
Ishara Jayawardane