Letters to the Editor:
The spirit and rhythms of the world came to the Monterey Peninsula this past weekend at the First Monterey World Music Festival. I had never heard of Brazilian percussionist Airto Morieira or Egyptian oud performer Hamza El Din or Norwegian vocalist Mari Boine, of the reindeer-herding Saami people of Norway's Arctic region, but they were each absolutely sensational, as were many of the other international artists. It was all a very special treat…Vegetarian food outsold the ribs, for a change, but then who was it who sang the world, it is a-changin'? Many see the Monterey Peninsula's future as a leader in international affairs, languages and education, so this festival has a very appropriate place on our future-oriented calendar. Those who envisioned and organized this festival can take tremendous pride in having the courage and persistence to bring their dream to life…I predict she [Monterey World Music Festival] will bring great life and pride to our Monterey Peninsula in the years to come.

~ Larry Levine, Monterey County Herald, June 16, 1997~

My heartfelt thank you to the Cultural Council for Monterey County and all sponsors and supporters of the third annual Monterey World Music Festival on Oct. 7-10 at Sunset Cultural Center in Carmel. It was literally, around the world and across centuries and civilizations in four days. From each performer I felt as though I was a guest in their home. At each performance, I felt connected to their music and to their culture dating back centuries. All conveyed an intense spirituality and a meditative quality to the music as well as their love and reverence for their musical tradition. This ranged from high-energy Indo-Pakistani rock to the a cappella Tibetan soloist. There was a beautiful energy in the audience as demonstrated by the shadow beauty of the dancers off to the side. From the performers' message that whatever our culture or ethnicity, performers and attendees, youthful of all chronological ages, to the Language Line Services motto, "Many Languages, One Voice," we are part of a single human community. I believe our community has a unique opportunity to make a difference by encouraging this event to grow and flower.

~ Flora Anderson, Monterey County Herald, November 3, 1999 ~

The Monterey World Music Festival was indeed a gathering of community healing. Our praise to David Cloutier and the board of the Cultural Council for Monterey County for their sensitivity and compassion in declaring this event free and open to the public, and collecting donations for the Red Cross during the festival. The generosity of the owners of India's Clay Oven went far and beyond anyone's expectations. They donated every penny of their sales at the event to the Red Cross. This family of immigrants from another country set an example for all of us to follow, and we were deeply touched by their kindness. Although some of the performers were unable to get to Monterey for the festival. Others agreed to come at the last minute. When Tarika, a group from Madagscar, learned that they could not fly from the East Coast, they got a van and drove here from New Jersey in order to spread their wonderful music. While Tibetan prayer flags flew above performers form many lands, volunteers and guests from all over the world experienced the true message of the festival- unity, healing and respect for our fellow man. There were victims from more than 50 countries and many religions, including Islam, who died at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Now is the time for unity.

~ John and Joan McCleary, Monterey County Herald, Oct 10, 2001 ~
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