QU QU QU BARG-E-CHINAAR: CHILDREN’S SONGS FROM AFGHANISTAN

MEDIA ADVISORY:
February 28, 2006

MEDIA REGISTRATION:
Joshua Gross, Media Relations Officer
(202) 292 4285 / (202) 657 8052 (cell)
gross@embassyofafghanistan.org

QU QU QU BARG-E-CHINAAR: CHILDREN'S SONGS FROM AFGHANISTAN
TO DEBUT AT AFGHAN EMBASSY

WASHINGTON – The Embassy of Afghanistan will be hosting a reception
to celebrate the publication of Qu Qu Qu Barg-e-Chinaar: Children's
Songs from Afghanistan and honor its author Dr. Louise Pascale.
For many years, Louise Pascale dreamed of the songs she heard as a
young volunteer in Afghanistan, songs that she feared had been lost
forever. Today Ms. Pascale has partnered with a number of cultural
organizations and talented Afghan artists to create a stunning book
and melodic CD of songs that have been making expatriate Afghans long
for their childhood and their country.

The songbook project began in 1966 when Ms. Pascale was a United
States Peace Corps volunteer living in Kabul. During her service, Ms.
Pascale worked with Afghan poets and musicians to create a children's
songbook to be distributed to the local schools. Almost four decades
later Ms. Pascale made a commitment to return the songs, now almost
completely lost from the culture, back to the children of Afghanistan.
Through a partnership with Ayenda: The Afghan Children Initiative, the
National Geographic Society, Afghanistan's Ministry of Education and
celebrated Afghan musician Vaheed Kaacemy, Dr. Pascale was able to
make her dream a reality. Mr. Kaacemy has recorded 16 songs in Farsi,
Pushto, Uzbeki and Hazara as an accompaniment to the songbook.
Arsalan Lutfi, a talented Afghan graphic designer and President of
TriVision Studios created the book's attractive design.
For more information or to order the songbook, visit the Folk Arts
Center of New England website

Who:

• Said T. Jawad, Ambassador of Afghanistan
• Shamim Jawad, Founder of AYENDA: The Afghan Children's Initiative
• Dr. Louise Pascale, Founder and Author of Qu Qu Qu Barg-e-Chinaar:
  Children's songs from Afghanistan

When: Friday, March 2 2007
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Where: Embassy of Afghanistan
2001 24th St. NW
Washington, DC 20010

REGISTRATION: Accredited members of the media are encouraged to
pre-register by contacting Joshua Gross:
gross@embassyofafghanistan.org , (202) 292 4285