June, 2009

The Oneness Choir in Varadayapalem, India‘Playing For Change’ was born in March 2005 in California and ended in Ireland early 2009 to help break down boundaries and overcome distances between people.   It has been a project in the making for a decade. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. Playing For Change: Peace Through Music is a film that explores our connections in a world overwhelmed with division as Music helps us to persevere through struggles and celebrate our differences which changes the world into a more peaceful place.

Watch Episode 3 - One Love - “Let’s get together and feel alright”. While recording and filming in Dharmsala India, where we planned to add some Tibetan singers to this track we passed by a small record shop on the side of the road.

Dr. Alex Rafi receiving his PhD in Anaheim, CA on Sunday June 21, 2009 (click on photo to enlarge)Dr. Alex Rafi is an unusual 74 year old Persian man who was born and raised in Iran. He believes that anything is possible.  In 1982, he left his beloved country ruled by Mullahs and moved to Pakistan where he lived for eight months before moving to France (Lyon) to run a grocery store. Searching for a better life, he found his way to California in August of 1985 where he operated an Italian restaurant in Anaheim for the next seventeen years.

This last Sunday, June 21, 2009, Dr. Alex Rafi received his PhD and his entire family came to celebrate his dream come true including his son, Daryosh from Iran and his daughter, Mahin from Lyon, France. “I have five children and eleven grandchildren. I am still married to the same wonderful woman, and the mother of my children. When I first arrived in the United States of America in 1985, I did not know how to speak English but I studied and learned because I wanted to.”

Sabrina and FriendsSabrina, how do you feel about tolerance? “There is very little tolerance in this world, especially religious tolerance.  My mother-in-law , Shahla Ghotbi-Nabilzadeh and I were so deeply upset upon hearing the story of the seven friends in Iran who are in Evin Prison.  This is such a travesty of justice as there is no reason for them to be in prison except for the Islamic regime's hateful desire to quiet their voices.”

Sydney Opera House, AustraliaSabrina continued … “We decided to make a series of videos with Shahla’s beautiful poems and music, in order to create some awareness of this urgent matter, which touches the core of human rights in Iran (watch video below.) Despite their obvious innocence and the call by many for their immediate release, these seven friends are in prison only because of their religious beliefs and views of the world  which are more in line with mine and yours, than the majority of people in their own country. These beautiful people were taken by force to  Evin prison in Tehran and  after spending a year there, without any formal charges brought against them and no access to their lawyers, and every couple of months or so there are new and extremely grave accusations brought against them.