Seattle Symphony Orchestra is the latest cultural institution to respond to President Donald Trump’s travel ban, barring immigration from seven Muslim-majority nations and indefinitely blocking entry for Syrian refugees. On Feb. 8, the orchestra will host a concert featuring music from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen ― the countries affected by Trump’s executive order. Since Trump’s order was announced on Jan. 27, individuals and organizations around the United States have publicly expressed their support for refugee and immigrant communities, and their gratitude for the immense contributions they have made to this country. Seattle Symphony expressed their allegiance through a free concert titled “Music Beyond Borders: Voices from the Seven.”As a statement from the symphony explained: “At the Seattle Symphony, we are inspired to add our voice, with the hope that we can bring together our community to celebrate the freedom of expression and open exchange of ideas which the arts have always stood for, especially in times of division and conflict.”

Source: Huffington Post February 07, 2017 21:37 UTC