VZCZCXRO5886
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHMK #0641 2621319
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181319Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8134
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS MANAMA 000641 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA/PE/C/CU/N (C. Barrosse; R. Keith); NEA/PPD (P. Agnew); 
R; NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO BA
 
SUBJECT:  Manama Requests Participation in the 2009 Rhythm Road 
American Music Abroad Program 
 
REF:  STATE 090853 
 
¶1.   (U) Summary.  Embassy Manama requests participation in the 
Rhythm Road American Music Abroad Program.  Preferred dates are 
between mid-March to early-April 2009, to coincide with the annual 
cultural festival hosted by the Bahraini Directorate of Culture and 
National Heritage.  Preferred music style is Bluegrass, Cajun, or 
Zydeco.  In addition to a national performance at the Cultural Hall 
(the national theater), PAS will program the group with a variety of 
key mission contacts, including youth organizations, USG program 
alumni, universities and public/private schools, and local 
musicians.  The priority objective of the program is to promote 
post's MSP goal of promoting mutual understanding through U.S. 
culture.  End Summary 
 
¶2.  Embassy Manama requests participation in the Rhythm Road 
program.  Below are the program details, per reftel instructions: 
 
-- Preferred Music Style:  Bluegrass.  Alternatively Cajun or 
Zydeco. 
-- Preferred Time Frame:  Mid-March to early-April.  Program length 
will be 3 days. 
-- Priority Objectives:  The program will contribute to post's 
efforts to reach out to young Bahraini audiences and promote mutual 
understanding.  If the program occurs in the mid-March to mid-April 
timeframe, it would complement other PAS programming during 
Bahrain's annual "Spring of Culture" festival. 
-- Audiences:  The program will focus on several different types of 
audiences, including Sunni and Shi'a youth populations.  Linking the 
program to Bahrain's annual cultural festival will afford it wide 
exposure in local and regional media. 
-- Possible Venues:  Post will program the Rhythm Road musicians 
into the Cultural Hall for a national performance.  Other potential 
venues include the University of Bahrain, Shaikh Ebrahim Cultural 
Center in Muharraq, and workshops/performances at public/private 
schools.  Possible local program partners include the Directorate of 
Culture and National Heritage, the Bahrain-U.S. Exchange Alumni 
Association, the Bahrain Youth Forum Society, and Al-Muntada 
Cultural Society. 
-- Possible Venue Cities:  The group will be programmed throughout 
the capital city of Manama and its surrounding areas. 
 
¶3.  Post is interested in jointly programming the group with other 
posts in the region and prefers the mid-March to early-April 
timeframe referenced in para. 2, as it coincides with Bahrain's 
annual cultural festival.  Post has been approached by the 
Directorate of Cultural and National Heritage with a specific 
request to bring a musical group to Bahrain during the festival. 
The timeframe also allows post to program the group into various 
youth organizations, universities and schools during the academic 
year, complementing their music and American society curriculum. 
 
¶4.  Post requests relevant specifics on the group selected at the 
earliest possible date.  Information requested includes group size 
and composition (with biographical information), performance 
specifications and equipment requirements, artwork for promotional 
posters, a sample CD, print-ready photographs, and any other 
information that is available. 
 
¶5.  Post's POC for this program is: 
 
David Edginton, Deputy Public Affairs Officer 
+973-3996-5017 
edgintondc@state.gov 
 
HENZEL