You may
have heard or read about the Post War Orchestra (for example, in
today's IoS) – using ploughshares beaten from swords
(OK; actually musical instruments built from military hardware) to
make music which urges ends to conflict.
This is not (unlike
my
“Warm” post of 18 January) a blunt request that you give
money. Whereas each Euro, dollar or pound donation to UNICEF may
directly save the life of a child, I don't kid myself that a
performance by PWO at Glastonbury cathedral will, in itself, have the
slightest effect when it comes to ending war – any more than my
individual decision to be a vegan will, in itself, move us closer
to ending world hunger.
The value of
cultural and individual gestures like this is different: they play a part in
asserting that there is another way.
In time, such assertions can play their part in shifts of viewpoint
which may, eventually, support real change. Think of the abolition of
slavery, or the rise of mass literacy; each of them the eventual
result which had to start with an assertion of the belief that things
could change.
So
… no. I am not asking that you give money to support PWO's project
… I'm simply suggesting that, should you feel that you would like
to, a good place to do it is on their KickStarter page (for details
of which, thanks to reader Geoff Powell).
After
thinking about it, becoming a backer seemed to me something I would
like to do. It doesn't even cost me anything unless sufficient numbers of other
people join me – if POW don't hit their declared pledge target by 20th April, my debit
card will never be charged (and I can change my mind and my pledge at any point up to that date). So I went ahead and pledged my little bit
of dosh (and it really can be little – the minimum pledge is £1
sterling: currently about €1.20 or US$1.50).
If
you should happen to feel that you are inclined to do the same, the
address is http://kck.st/16MW09o
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