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Diana T Fritz  08/27/2006 05:02:21 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

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UNCLAS        ABU DHABI 05043

SIPDIS
CXABU:
    ACTION: PAO
    INFO:   ECON POL AMB DCM

DISSEMINATION: PAO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: PAO:HOLSIN-WINDECKER
DRAFTED: PAO:NIBRAHIM
CLEARED: PAO:WWROBERTSON

VZCZCADI479
OO RUEHC RUEHZM
DE RUEHAD #5043/01 3481505
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141505Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2767
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 005043 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/ECA/PA/C/CU FOR 
SANDI ROUSE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC KPAO
 
SUBJECT: NEW ORLEANS JAZZ HERITAGE TOURS: THE MARDI GRAS 
INDIAN COLLECTIVE 
 
REF: A) STATE 194800; B) STATE 198673 
 
¶1. Summary: More than 500 UAE nationals including government 
officials, media representatives, businessmen, and students 
attended two performances of Mardi Gras Indian Collective. 
The program included two performances, one at the Emirates 
Heritage Village in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, November 26, and 
the other at the UAE Pavilion at the Global Village in 
Dubai, on Sunday, November 27. The special feature of both 
events was the joint performance of the Mardi Gras Indians 
with the UAE Folklore dancers. The audience included over 80 
UAE high school students from Bani Yas and Sharjah, 
participating in Post's English language Access 
Microscholarship Program. Print and electronic media 
coverage was extensive. End summary. 
 
 
¶2.  US Thanks UAE for Hurricane Katrina Relief 
The UAEG responded immediately and favorably to the request 
for official sponsorship by the Ministry of Information and 
Culture and patronage by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al 
Nahyan, Minister of Information and Culture.  They provided 
all the technical requirements, transportation, and hosted 
two dinners, one in Abu Dhabi and the other in Dubai 
following the performance in each city. The dinners were 
attended by high level officials, members of the Mardi Gras 
collective, members of the UAE Folklore group, and few media 
representatives. The press conference preceding the visit 
and the welcome speech before each concert made the clear 
point that the visit was a gesture of thanks to countries 
that generously provided support to the United States in the 
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  This message was clear on 
the posters, invitations and program notes and a special US 
Thanks the UAE banner was hung in back of the group at both 
performance. 
 
¶3.  In Abu Dhabi, the dynamic collective performed at the 
Emirates Heritage Village. This is a special model village 
built after the old houses in the UAE as well as a heritage 
museum that includes artwork and handicrafts that go back 
several hundred years.  Selecting this venue created a 
special ambiance that was coupled by skyline of modern Abu 
Dhabi in the background. Following the Ambassador's 
welcoming remarks, which highlighted the reasons for the 
tour, the UAE Folklore group performed their traditional 
dances, music and songs. This was followed by the Mardi Gras 
Collective performance. Finally both bands joined together 
in special high beat cultural interaction performance that 
surprised the crowd and gave a clear message on music as a 
common language. Fifty 10th and 11th grade boys who are part 
of the Microscholarship Program attended the event, 
supplementing classroom education with a cultural 
experience. 
 
¶4. In Dubai, the group performed at the Global Village with 
the UAE Pavilion as special background. The venue was chosen 
to highlight the relationship between the US and UAE 
musicians.  The UAE fort made a beautiful backdrop for the 
performance.  The invited audience was supplemented with the 
normal crowds visiting this major tourist attraction. The 
lively audience rewarded the band with a standing ovation. 
Thirty boys from the Sharjah Microscholarship Program came 
to the performance and stayed for the supper. They clapped 
along with the music and took photos with their cell phones. 
After the performance they flocked to have their photos 
taken with the Americans. 
 
¶5. The band received media coverage which spread the message 
far beyond the spectators. Media coverage of the New Orleans 
band was extensive for both performances in Abu Dhabi and 
Dubai.  All Arabic dailies (11/28) as well as the largest 
circulation English daily "Gulf News" (11/30) prominently 
reported the performance in Abu Dhabi.  The Gulf News spread 
in the Tabloid section of the paper was three pages with 
color photos.  The media also cited American Ambassador 
Sison as praising the support of the UAE president for the 
Hurricane Katrina during a jazz evening entitled "Thank you 
UAE". 
 
The Dubai performance also featured in the Arabic and 
English dailies and on local television.  A headline of a 
half-page article with photo in the Abu Dhabi-based semi- 
official Arabic daily Al-Ittihad 12/4 read: "The Americans 
said it in music: thank you UAE."  Dubai TV aired 11/28 a 3- 
minute report on its main evening newscast with footage of 
the hurricane damage along with the performance.  Another 
channel, Sama Dubai, broadcasted 11/30 a six-minute report 
on its weekly magazine.  The report included interviews with 
members of the band, excerpts of the show and an interview 
with the U.S. Consul General who reiterated United States 
appreciation of the UAE for their contribution for the 
Katrina victims. 
 
¶6. This program has allowed great positive interaction 
between the UAE and US cultures. The USG has not had an 
officially sponsored cultural performance for two years and 
this both filled the gap and introduced an unknown folk art 
to UAE audiences. It also gave post an opportunity to work 
cooperatively with UAEG Ministry of Information and Culture 
officials. The many private-sector sports and cultural 
performances do not appeal to local Emirati audiences, but 
cater to the foreign ex-pat population.  Constructing these 
events to showcase the cooperation of the local folklore 
group and bringing in post Microscholarship students ensure 
that the visit reached our intended audience. 
¶7. Our thanks to the wonderful people who are part of the 
Mardi Gras Indian Collective for being open and warm with 
their Emirati counterparts.  Thanks also to ECA/PE/C/CU's 
Sandra Rouse for ensuring that cultural sensitivities on 
costuming issues were handled with care. 
 
QUINN