The Dominican Embassy in Spain is backing a plan to promote musical education for young Dominicans living in Spain who are at risk of joining criminal gangs and involvement in violence generally. Ambassador Anibal de Castro says that the idea is for “the bands of Tetuan” to be associated with musical bands rather than criminal gangs. Tetuan, a poor neighborhood in Madrid, has a large Dominican emigre population. De Castro made the comments when receiving a donation of musical instruments from the Musicos sin Fronteras program, which is sponsored by the Basque autonomous government. Ambassador de Castro hopes that art will help the young people’s cultural adaptation process and pave the way for smoother integration.
The “Harmony with Solidarity” (Armonia Solidaria) program is appealing for donations of musical instruments to the Center for Participation and Integration (CEPI) in the Madrid district of Tetuan, where most beneficiaries are of Dominican origin. The center directors aim to create a youth symphony orchestra with the instruments.
“Music is the language of the soul,” stated ambassador de Castro. He hopes that music will help overcome the anxiety experienced by these young immigrants who do not feel at home in Spain or in the Dominican Republic. He hopes that a musical education will deter many of them from joining youth gangs and becoming involved in violence, crime and drugs.
As a next step, the Dominican Embassy, with the backing of the Dominican Consulate in Madrid, will appeal for volunteers to teach the budding musicians.
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