IN RESIDENCE AT NC STATE LIVE from March 15 to 21, 2017 , Democratic Republic about sustainable practices, environmental and social of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, justice, and responsible student leadership and activism. Kenya, , South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, – the It means that over the course of the next 6 days, you 11 Nile River basin countries. will have the opportunity to meet new people, visit new spaces, and explore topics of interest to you Before spring of 2015, I hate to through the lens of music. Concerned about refugee admit that I may not have been struggles? Join us for a screening of The Eritrean able to name more than a couple Exodus on March 19 and hear the personal stories and of these countries….and certainly would not have been music of Nile Project musicians from Sudan and Eritrea. able to place them geographically. Now, after two years Want to explore how music can shift the geopolitical of conversations and planning for the Nile Project at NC paradigm? Check out the Musical Collaboration & Water State, they are imprinted on my brain and in my heart. Cooperation conversation on March 20. (See pages 7-10 for details of these and all public Nile Project events.) How does a collective of musicians from 11 countries in impact the world? As Mina Girgis, Egyptian Water scarcity affects everyone. Here in North ethnomusicologist and inspired co-founder of the Nile Carolina there are 17 river basins, all experiencing Project simply, but profoundly said to me two years unique upstream and downstream challenges and ago – “it starts with the music.” opportunities. The 2017 Nile Project tour includes stops with six North Carolina universities exploring issues Tonight you will hear that music – music born of a and topics of relevance and meaning to their distinct collaborative spirit brought on by a sense of urgency. campuses, communities, and watersheds. The Nile River is the longest river in the world, and nearly every drop of water that flows through it is used I owe a huge debt to the NC State University Foundation, before it reaches the Mediterranean Sea. Acclaimed the NC State Sustainability Fund, and our campus scholar and scientist, Ismail Serageldin, warned in 1995 partners. In particular, I want to thank Tracy Dixon and that “if the wars of this century were fought over oil, Rebekah Dunstan of the University Sustainability Office, the wars of the next century will be fought over water Nicole Wilkinson of the Water Resources Research -- unless we change our approach to managing this Institute, and Jonathan Kramer of the Music Department precious and vital resource.” for their unqualified support, guidance and inspiration from start to finish over these past two years. (See page The Nile Project proposes to change that approach by 11 for a full list of thank you’s.) shifting the discourse from a geo-political argument to a unifying conversation that puts music at the forefront Finally, a heartfelt thank you to my amazing staff of dialogue. In using music as the starting point for the Stephanie Clark and Liza Green and to the inspiration conversation, they seek to create a space where people of it all – the inimitable Mina Girgis. who would otherwise not meet come together, where discussions that would normally not occur take place and So, enjoy the music tonight. We hope this is only the where ideas that are not usually connected are linked. beginning of the conversation with you.

So what does this mean to us? At NC State, this model Sincerely, of cooperation is sparking conversations and dialogue

Sharon Moore live.arts.ncsu.edu Director, NC State LIVE 919.515.1100 tickets / @NCStateLIVE

PHOTO ON COVER: LAILA YASSER THE NILE PROJECT Concert in Stewart Theatre Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 7:30pm

Pre-Show discussion with Nile Project Co-Founder, Mina Girgis at 6:30pm Post-Show Q&A session with Nile Project musicians immediately following

the concert. HABI GIRGIS

NileFEST Tuesday, March 21, 2017 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm Stafford Commons, NC State Join us for a free outdoor festival to celebrate the culmination of the Nile Project residency at NC State LIVE. The family-friendly event will feature a closing concert by the Nile Project, an interactive mural with the Crafts Center and guest artist Dare Coulter, Junk Jams with The Scrap Exchange, food from the Nile region, and more! NileFEST is a Wolfpack Certified Sustainable Event.

3 PETER STANLEY 4

HABI GIRGIS NILE PROJECT Artists

Adel Mekha ...... Egypt, Nubia / Vocals, Percussion Ahmed Omar...... Eritrea, Egypt / Bass, Tanbour Asia Madani...... Sudan / Vocals, Percussion Dave Otieno...... Kenya / Electric Guitar Ibrahim Fanous...... Eritrea / Krar Kasiva Mutua...... Kenya / Percussion, Vocals Michael Bazibu...... Uganda / Entongoli, Adungu, Endingidi, Percussion, Vocals Mohamed Abozekry. . . .Egypt / Oud Nader El Shaer...... Egypt / Kawala, Accordion, Farfisa, Vocals Saleeb Fawzy...... Egypt / Vocals Selamnesh Zemene. . . . Ethiopia / Vocals Steven Sogo...... Burundi / Vocals, Bass, Ikembe, Umiduri

Adel Mekha: A widely respected Nubian percussionist expressive playing can tell a story on its own, and vocalist based in Cairo, Mekha’s knowledge of or keep a band perfectly in the pocket. traditional Nubian rhythms and an expressive singing voice have brought him work with a wide range of Micheal Bazibu: A member of Uganda’s leading ensembles and projects. traditional music and dance company, Ndere, for the past 17 years, Bazibu plays several traditional Ugandan Ahmed Omar: Born in Libya to an Eritrean father and stringed and percussion instruments with virtuosic grace. Egyptian mother, it is no surprise that mixing cultures has become part of Omar’s creative output. Today, Mohamed Abozekry: Despite his tender years, this he plays bass for several leading Egyptian bands and Egyptian oud player has a stunning command of his organizes the AfriCairo festival and music project. instrument, as well as an open ear for other forms, skills that got him a recent album deal with Harmonia Mundi. Asia Madani: A Sudanese vocalist and percussionist residing in Cairo, Madani grew up surrounded by Nader El Shaer: Born in the culturally rich town of Port music with a father that played oud and a professional Said, Egypt, El Shaer taught himself accordion and ney, percussionist as a brother. She is a captivating performer only to fall in love with the tones of the kawala (end- who has appeared at many international festivals. blown cane flute) and its role in Arabic classical music.

Dave Otieno: One of Kenya’s leading guitarists, Saleeb Fawzy: Born in Minya, Egypt, vocalist and Otieno is fluent in the Benga style common to the percussionist Fawzy has a deep knowledge of coptic Lake Victoria region. He has toured throughout Africa church hymns and has toured throughout Europe and and Europe and recently performed at the Folklife the Arab world. He is currently working on Tawasol Festival at the Smithsonian, Washington D.C. project, helping people to learn through art.

Ibrahim Fanous: An Eritrean kraar player and vocalist Selamnesh Zemene: Hailing from a long line of based in London, Fanous began his vocal training unique culture bearers in Northern Ethiopia, this young at a young age in Eastern Sudan in three different singer has brought her traditions to collaborations with languages—Arabic, Tegrenia and Amharic. He performs indie darlings like Debo Band and The Ex. internationally throughout North Africa and Europe. Steven “Sogo” Irambona: Born in Burundi, Steven Kasiva Mutua: Kenyan percussionist and singer Irambona started to play the guitar and sing at an Mutua may have learned drumming from her early age. He is a World Bank Musical Ambassador grandmother, but has developed her own knack for for Burundi and a popular voice of the people. powerful beats. One of Kenya’s leading drummers, her Irambona has lived in exile in the USA since 2015. 5 Nile Background This mounting resource scarcity has contributed to a geopolitical conflict between upstream and downstream The Nile, one of the world’s most iconic rivers, has riparian states. Tremendous political capital has been captivated the imagination of millions throughout expended to draft the Nile Cooperative Framework time. Originating in two sources – Lake Victoria in Agreement, an international treaty to govern water and Lake Tana in the Ethiopian highlands distribution and infrastructure projects differently from the – the 6,670-kilometer river flows northward through existing 1959 Egyptian-Sudanese treaty giving Egypt the a diversity of climates, landscapes, and cultures majority water right annually. While the agreement has yet before passing through Egypt and emptying into the to win mutual consensus, the arduous negotiation process Mediterranean Sea. has exposed the deep-seated mistrust between countries, the absence of opportunities for citizen-led dialogue and Its 450 million inhabitants are projected to double within the lack of a unified identity and vision for the future the next 25 years, placing an ever increasing demand for development of a shared Nile ecosystem. Nile water; water that is tied to all aspects of life - from the food on tables to the electricity that powers homes The Nile River Basin is wrought with political, to people’s health. Even now, people living along the environmental, economic, and social challenges requiring Nile are vulnerable to water-related hardships. At least a new approach to better address the myriad challenges five nations in the Nile Basin are facing water stress. it faces. As regional tensions flare, the Nile Project offers Seven of the eleven Nile countries continue to suffer a unique grassroots strategy to effectively mobilize from undernourishment rates higher than 30%. Less thousands of people across the Nile Basin and beyond in than 10% of basin residents have access to electricity. constructive cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration. The core issue at hand is how to peacefully allocate Nile Basin water among eleven nations with different needs About The Nile Project and priorities, whose populations are all skyrocketing. The Nile Project is transforming the Nile conflict by inspiring, educating, and empowering an international network of university students to cultivate the sustainability of their ecosystem. The project’s model integrates music, education, dialogue, leadership, and innovation to engage students across disciplines and geographies.

MUSIC PROGRAM An expanding Collective of artists from the 11 Nile countries redefining principles of cross-cultural musical collaboration. Also a series of community choirs are applying the same principles across the Nile Basin.

UNIVERSITY PROGRAM A suite of student activities including a yearlong fellowship program, university chapters and local community projects in cities across the Nile Basin.

NETWORK PROGRAM An international network of scholars, executives and policymakers focusing on developing collaborative solutions to food sustainability in the Nile Basin.

TOURING CREDITS Mina Girgis – Producer & CEO Andrew Reissinger – Music Program Manager 6 DURING THEIR SECOND U.S. TOUR, THE NILE PROJECT is in March 15-21, 2017 residence at NC State LIVE from March 15 to 21, 2017. We have partnered with organizations on campus and across the Triangle to offer dozens of events NILE PROJECT to benefit the community. In addition to the public events listed here, Nile Project artists events are offering several workshops, performances, and lectures in local public schools and in NC Wednesday, March 15 State classrooms to explore geography, ecology, and cultures Water Resources Research Institute of the of the Nile Basin through music. UNC System (WRRI) Annual Conference 8:45am – 10am Keynote speech (delivered by Nile Project Producer Mina Girgis) – Innovative Collaborations Around Water Issues. wrri.ncsu.edu

The Nile Project Concert 7:30pm, Stewart Theatre Musicians from 7 Nile Basin countries perform new music as a collective, with ingenious polyrhythms and supporting vocals in more than 10 languages. Pre-show discussion with Mina Girgis and post- show Q&A session with Nile Project musicians. go.ncsu.edu/nile

Thursday, March 16

WRRI Annual Conference 9:30 – 10:45am River Stories Panel Discussion: Mina Girgis and local water experts from Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, Eno River Festival, and Neuse River Keeper/Sound Rivers discuss successes and challenges of managing the Neuse River. wrri.ncsu.edu

Dinners with Purpose featuring Mina Girgis 5:30 – 7pm Sponsored by the Social Entrepreneurship Initiative at the NC State Institute for Nonprofits Over dinner, Mina Girgis shares his experience as Producer and Co-founder of the Nile Project to provide an example of finding purpose and passion in your life. go.ncsu.edu/NilePurpose LAILA YASSER 7 Friday, March 17

Music and Dance Workshop for NC State Students 4 – 5:30pm Co-hosted by NC State Global and Arts Villages Hands-on percussion and dance workshop led by Nile Project Musicians from Egypt, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda.

Saturday, March 18

NC State Student Leadership Summit

LAILA YASSER 9am – 5pm Day-long retreat for 30 students with the Nile Project musicians and leaders from across the community to address North Carolina’s environmental challenges and develop skills to make positive change.

Sunday, March 19

Creek Connections 2pm – 4pm, Walnut Creek Wetlands Center, 950 Peterson Street, Raleigh, 27610 Afternoon event to explore commonalities between Raleigh’s Walnut Creek Watershed and Africa’s Nile River Basin including: a panel discussion with leaders from the Nile Project, Partners for Environmental Justice, Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, and the Neighborhood Ecology Corps; a hands-on art project for young people led by the Office of Raleigh Arts; refreshments and live music from the LAILA YASSER Nile Project.

Film Screening: The Eritrean Exodus 6pm – 8pm, Park Shops, Room 210 Hosted by NC State’s Global Training Initiative, The Office of International Affairs at NC State, and the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Documentary film featuring Chris Cotter, an American traveler, as he explores a common migration path through Ethiopia and into Israel, tracking the plight of Eritrean refugees. Following the film, there will be a discussion with Eritrean scholar Dan Connell, Nile Project musicians from Sudan and Eritrea, and a traditional coffee ceremony provided by the local Eritrean Civic Group. go.ncsu.edu/eritrea

8 LAILA YASSER Monday, March 20

Nile Project Lunch and Learn for NC State Students Noon – 1:30pm Hosted by NC State’s African American Cultural Center and the Office of International Services Lunchtime discussion between Nile Project musicians and NC State students on the relationship between the Nile Region water crisis and environmental justice issues in the US.

Musical Collaboration & Water Cooperation 3pm – 4:30pm, Piedmont/Mountains Ballroom, Talley Student Union MATJAZ KACICNIK Hosted by NC State University Scholars Program Interactive lecture demonstration in which Nile Project artists relate their collective creative process to the efforts of diplomats and water professionals in finding win-win solutions to hydro political conflicts.

Uganda Night with James Isabirye and Nicholas Ssempijje: Music and Cultural Sustainability in Uganda 7:30pm, Piedmont/Mountains Ballroom, Talley Student Union Presented by NC State Price Music Center Lecture Series Ugandan scholars, James Isabirye and Nicholas Ssempijje, and Nile Project musician, Michael Bazibu, share stories and music from their homeland. MATJAZ KACICNIK

Tuesday, March 21

NileFEST 5:30pm – 7:30pm, NC State Stafford Commons Family-friendly event featuring a closing concert by the Nile Project, an interactive mural with NC State’s Crafts Center and guest artist Dare Coulter, Junk Jams with The Scrap Exchange, food from the Nile region, and more!

live.arts.ncsu.edu / @NCStateLIVE

AHMED HAYMAN 9 Additional Partner Events

Tuesday, February 21

The Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam and the Road to Cooperation on the Nile River 6:30pm – 8:30pm A discussion presented by NC State’s College of Natural Resources. Seminar by Dr. Dale Whittington, Professor of Environmental Sciences & Engineering and City & Regional Planning, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Manchester Business School, UK. Respondents include Dr. Laura Taylor HABI GIRGIS from NC State’s department of Agriculture and Resource Economics and Dr. Mohamed Youssef from NC State’s department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.

Thursday, March 23 & Friday, March 24

Panoramic Dance Project Concert 8pm, Stewart Theatre Program includes Countless Tracks in the Riverside Mud, choreographed by Tara Mullins, inspired by the Nile Project mission. Music for the piece is “St. Yared of Axum” from Aswan, the first Nile Project CD, recorded in 2013. For tickets visit go.ncsu.edu/dance-pdp or call 919.515.1100.

Sunday, April 23 PETER STANLEY Raleigh Civic Symphony: A River Runs Through It 4pm, Stewart Theatre Program includes music inspired by rivers and water: Bedrich Smetana’s beloved The Moldau and the World Premiere of a work composed for the orchestra by jazz bass legend and composer Rufus Reid. For tickets call 919.515.1100.

For more information on Nile Project events and ticketing visit: go.ncsu.edu/NileEvents

10 HABI GIRGIS PETER STANLEY

Special thanks to the following who advised, encouraged, and gave generously of their time to make the Nile Project residency a powerful reality.

Arts NC State Office of Institutional Equity & Diversity – Beverly Williams Executive Director – Rich Holly Office of International Services – Lauren Ball Arts Marketing – Mark Tulbert Sertoma Arts Center – Julia Meder Arts Outreach – Amy Sawyers Crafts Center – Jo Ellen Westmoreland, Jennifer Siegel Social Entrepreneurship Initiative of the Institute Dance Program – Tara Mullins for Nonprofits – Elizabeth Benefield Gregg Museum of Art & Design – Mary Hauser St. Ambrose Episcopal Church – Reverend Taylor Music Department – Alison Arnold, Jonathan Kramer, Student Leadership and Engagement – Brian Mathis Peter Askim, visiting Ugandan scholars University Housing James Isabirye and Nicholas Ssempijje University Theatre – David Jones, Andrew Korhonen, Arts Village – Mike Mellas Kevin Wright EcoVIllage – Meghan Lobsinger Teten African American Cultural Center – Frances Graham, University Scholars Program – Ken Johnson Dawn Morgan University Sustainability Office – Carla Davis, Tracy Dixon, Africana Studies – Haddy Njie, Craig Brookins Rebekah Dunstan Bruce and Kelly Branson US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants City of Raleigh Walnut Creek Wetland Center – Norman Camp, Amin Davis, Office of Sustainability – Megan Anderson Stacie Hagwood, Frank McKay, David Shouse Public Utilities – Kenneth Waldroup Water Resources Research Institute – Nicole Wilkinson, College of Natural Resources – Dean Mary Watzin, Christy Perrin Lara Brown de Fuenmayor , Thomas Easley, Chancellor and Mrs. Woodson Katie Martin, Larry Nielsen, Louie Rivers Karen Young Dare Coulter Division of Academic and Student Affairs – Barry Olson The Nile Project is a statewide collaborative initiative of the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University, the Batte Eritrean Civic Group Center at Wingate, NC State LIVE, the Schaefer Center for Global Training Initiative – Rebecca Cibulskis the Performing Arts at Appalachian State University, the Green Elementary Leadership and World Languages S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series at East Carolina Magnet School – JonNesha Stevens University, and UNCW Presents. Malkuta Project – Nate Myers This project is made possible by grants from the NC State NC Presenting Colleagues – Kristen Brogdon, University Sustainability Fund; the NC State University Michael Crane, Denise Drury Homewood, Foundation; the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Laura Kratt, Denise Ringler Department of Natural & Cultural Resources; and is funded NC State Dining – Anthony Brown in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the NC State Students – Meredith Biechele, Haley Hall, National Endowment for the Arts and the N.C. Arts Council. Andrew Hardwick, Catherine Kubitschek 11 SHARE & CONNECT [email protected] 919.515.1100 tickets

live.arts.ncsu.edu / @NCStateLIVE

Nileproject.org / @nileproject

NC State LIVE’s mission is to connect artists and audiences in a meaningful exploration of the diverse cultures and issues that define our communities and world. MATJAZ KACICNIK MATJAZ