YOUTH LAUNCH ONLINE COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE OPTIMISM, AWARENESS & HOPE THROUGH MUSIC

Jyothi Venkatesh

In the light of unfortunate events taking place across the world and the hardships that these events have brought upon people, a 15 years old Rosanna Gao from New York and 16 years old London based Devika Gehlaut have launched an online music community in support with CEO Manit Shah, a 17-year old youth from Mumbai. The non-profit organization has been launched as Music for Change and the online community is organising a global movement that strives to spread happiness, love and positivity. Through music, the youth collectively aspire to bring together people from across nations and cities to form a global music community that illustrates change.Music for Change is aimed at spreading positivity and change through the universal language of music during these difficult times. The website https://music-for-change.org/ collects and shares videos of people singing, playing instruments, dancing and reciting poems to promote unity and hope. It has so far received videos from over 15 countries and it encourages everyone to join the movement.

“I feel music helps connect people in a way which formal communication never can. That is the beauty of music and because it is a universal language, it cuts across all boundaries. It empowers people to express themselves devoid of who they are or where they are from. Through ‘Music for Change’ we hope to break barriers and rekindle the dwindling human connection, irrespective of where or who you are. Let us bring about the change in our world through music!” says Manit.Music for Change has been working closely with the National Health System (NHS) in the UK. It has also helped mobilise public driven rallies in the US such as the Great Neck Rally for black lives and several others. Over the last four months, the community has performed at Black Lives Matter protests, raised Rs.4 lakh for Covid-19 relief, and hosted virtual concerts for elderly homes. The community invites anyone and everyone who wish to share a video of them playing an instrument, singing, dancing, spoken word, acting or any other form of artistic communication to express their views on current events.

“Our mission is to allow individuals to harness the power of music as a way to move forward and bring change within current events happening across the world. Whether you wish to perform a song to thank the essential workers for their services through the COVID-19 pandemic or by playing a violin piece to raise awareness on the migrant crisis caused by the lockdown, everyone can contribute in their own way. The objective is to try and effect change through music and together we can create a world filled with peace and love,” concludes Devika.To join the movement, send a video or join the team by visiting https://music-for-change.org/. Instagram: @music_forchange, Facebook: Music For Change, YouTube: Music For Change)