VENVIFA holds peace concert

Members of the general public joined the Venezuelan-Vincentian Friendship Association (VENVIFA) to show solidarity with the government and people of Venezuela Wednesday, with the staging of a peace concert at the Peace Memorial Hall.{{more}}

According to Laura Stephens-Dublin, executive member of VENVIFA, the concert was part of local activities that coincided with the “peace conference” held by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday.

“The government of Venezuela has designated one week aside to peace in Venezuela and being part of VENVIFA, we are endorsing that,” Stephens-Dublin said.

She said the idea was to have a peace concert to enlighten the Vincentian public on what was taking place in Venezuela.

“A lot of people are not really aware of what is taking place in Venezuela and we are trying to spread the word,” she explained.

The event was the second following on a similar concert held in May last year, and plans are in place to take the concerts throughout the length and breadth of the country, Stephens-Dublin said.

“President Maduro is doing his best; he is following in President Chavez’s legacy and we want to make sure that we sensitize Vincentians, educate them as to what is happening,” she said.

And with all the planned projects of VENVIFA, Stephens-Dublin said that she remained confident that people were getting the message in a positive way.

“Opposition forces may have painted a negative picture, but there is an appreciation by the people and we want persons to come on board to show the people of Venezuela that we are on board with them,” she said.

The concert featured a number of local performers and artistes, including the C.W. Prescod Steel Orchestra, Shania Webb, Orandi Adams, Hanifa Simon, Anthony Theobalds, and Naked Roots. And those in attendance were in for a surprise when Orandi ‘Bomani’ Charles made an appearance with the Heart Beat Drummers, doing the Maxi Priest classic, ‘Prayer for the World’. (DD)