We are extremely excited to announce our partnership with La Escuelita del Ritmo, a music school located in Portobelo, on the Caribbean coast of Panama and dedicated to using music as a tool for inclusion and social change. La Escuelita, created 12 years ago by music lover and philanthropist Gladys Palmera, transmits and preserves an intangible Afro-Caribbean cultural heritage that traces its roots directly back to the Congo from more than four centuries ago.
This partnership came about through our connection with the UNFPA and our shared goals to promote peace and social inclusion through music.
We are also thrilled to start this collaboration with a unique travel experience. The Escuelita del Ritmo band Rucumbé has been invited to participate and perform at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland for the 1st session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, organized by the UNFPA, which took place this week from December 5 – 8. This was the first time a live band performed inside the United Nations assembly room in Geneva. The Rucumbé band is formed by students from La Escuelita who have been trained in music for several years and are now representing the project nationally and internationally.
