BOSTON, November 23, 1998 -- On Thursday, October 22nd, 1998, Berklee College of Music students used their own words and music to bring a very personal perspective to the United Nations Day Ceremony at the Massachusetts State House.

The ceremony was chaired by Berklee College of Music President Lee Eliot Berk. President Berk was appointed by Governor Paul A. Cellucci to chair the event, which focused on human rights. Fifty years ago, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights became a reality.

President Berk referenced the meaning of the term "human rights" by quoting from U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan: "Human rights are what make us human... It is the universality of human rights which gives them their strength. It endows them with power to cross any border, climb any wall, defy any force."

What better way to bring this down to a human level than to bring three students from Berklee College of Music, hailing from countries where violations of human rights are prevalent, to talk about this subject.

Adeniyi Adelekan, a Contemporary Writing and Production major from Nigeria, spoke about the imprisonment of human rights activists during the previous leadership in his country. He alluded to reports from people that he knew and from Nigerian news media. Adelekan acknowledged improvements under the current Nigerian leadership, and concluded by suggesting a solution to human rights abuses based on the words of Jesus: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Ignacio Perez, a recent Berklee Film Scoring graduate, also talked about his experience living under military rule in Chile. He expressed his hope that we may learn from the mistakes of the past, and "try tolerance to differences."

"I have had a long journey and many adventures," began Damien Draghici, who fled from his native Romania in 1988. He brought home the experience of growing up under the rule of a dictator, who cut off heat, water, television, radio and computer access, leaving Damien and many others with childhood memories which are hard to erase.

Damien expressed his happiness at being able to live in "a free world where dreams can be realized." A Performance major, he touched an emotional chord, expressing his gratitude for his current situation, and good fortune at being able to study at Berklee College of Music.

Keynote speaker Arnold Hiatt, chairman of The Stride Rite Corporation, seemed to speak for the whole audience in thanking the students for reminding us that "the power of the human spirit is greater than the power of a dictator."

At the close of the ceremony, The Berklee Jazz Rock Ensemble accompanied Berklee student Eric Wainaina, from Nairobi, Kenya, in a powerful rendition of "Circle of Life." Berklee Associate Professor of Ensemble Ken Zambello led the group, with Milan Milanovic of Yugoslavia on keyboards, Janek Gwizdala of England on bass, and Joe DeRose of the United States on drums.

The audience listened with rapt attention to the words, which held special meaning in this unique context. As the song ended, the crowd shouted, "Encore!" President Berk simply shook his head, commenting that despite all the performances he has attended in his years as president of Berklee, he continues to be truly overwhelmed by the talent of the Berklee community and how each performance tops the last.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Consulates of Greece, Japan, Romania, Hungary and Nepal, members of the 1998 United Nations Day Honorary Committee. The ceremony was organized by the United Nations Association of Greater Boston, in partnership with the Massachusetts Governor's Office.

December 10th marks the date when the Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by members of the General Assembly of the United Nations and will be commemorated in the music industry with a day-long telecast of musicians performing for human rights worldwide. The event, "Declare Your Rights," is the work of the Human Rights Action Center and urges viewers to lobby their governments to print the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in their own country's passport.

Founded in 1945, Berklee College of Music has been advancing careers in contemporary music for more than 50 years. The world's largest independent college of music, Berklee has a multicultural enrollment of over 2,900 students, 40 percent of whom are international. The college's alumni include some of the most respected figures in contemporary music, including many multi-Grammy award winners.

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For further press information:

Emily Singer
Office of Public Information
Berklee College of Music
617-747-2567
esinger@berklee.edu