tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4 2009-11-10T20:10:14Z Movable Type Commercial 4.23-en tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.467 2009-11-10T19:56:03Z 2009-11-10T20:10:14Z

We are very excited to announce the release of "The Singing Revolution" on PAL DVD, with multiple subtitles. The PAL DVD offers subtitles in Dutch, Estonian, French, German, Russian, and Spanish. The DVD can be purchased at the film's website...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ PAL DVD, with multiple subtitles. The PAL DVD offers subtitles in Dutch, Estonian, French, German, Russian, and Spanish. The DVD can be purchased at the film's website store: http://www.singingrevolution.com/cgi-local/store.cgi PAL is the DVD standard for countries and regions such as Australia, most of Europe, Brazil, most of Africa, Estonia, and elsewhere. NTSC is the format for the US, Canada, Japan, much of South America and other regions. Below is a link to a site that lists all countries and their formats (for those listed as SECAM, they are most often PAL DVD countries these days.) http://www.dvdbuyingguide.com/codefreedvd/ntscchart.html]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/11/the_singing_revolution_now_ava.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.463 2009-11-09T15:10:53Z 2009-11-09T15:28:06Z

Today is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall! Below are two links to great photo-timelines of the wall's history. It would still take almost two more years of struggle, until August 1991, for the illegally occupied...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2009/oct/20/berlinwall-germany http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/08/berlin-wall-photos-a-look_n_350263.html]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/11/celebrating_the_fall_of_the_be.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.461 2009-11-05T18:45:44Z 2009-11-05T19:16:10Z

"The European Parliament has awarded its Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Memorial, a leading Russian human rights organization and to the prominent human rights activists Ludmilla Alekseeva, Sergei Kovalev, and Oleg Orlov, and other Russian human rights defenders,...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/10/22/russia-memorial-awarded-sakharov-prize ]]> The European Parliament has awarded its Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Memorial, a leading Russian human rights organization and to the prominent human rights activists Ludmilla Alekseeva, Sergei Kovalev, and Oleg Orlov, and other Russian human rights defenders, Human Rights Watch said today. "Our colleagues at Memorial and these activists have been right in the center of the enormously difficult and incredibly dangerous fight to protect human rights in Russia," said Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia division executive director. "This honor is enormously well deserved and we extend our warmest congratulations." The European Parliament established the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1988 in honor of the Soviet physicist, dissident, and human rights activist Andrei Sakharov. The European Parliament presents the award every year to individuals or organizations that have made an important contribution to the fight for human rights or democracy. The 2009 award, marking the 20th anniversary of Andrei Sakharov's death, will be presented on December 16 in Strasbourg. The award this year to Memorial, Kovalev, Alekseeva, and Orlov, highlights their unwavering commitment and energy in confronting ongoing, serious human rights violations in Russia. It also highlights their fortitude in the face of the murder of their colleague, Natalia Estemirova, who, with Kovalev, was a finalist for the Sakharov prize in 2004. Estemirova, a leading researcher with the Memorial Human Rights Center's office in Grozny, Chechnya, was abducted on July 15, 2009. Her body was found with gunshot wounds later that day. The murder appeared to be clearly connected to her work uncovering human rights violations in Chechnya. "Memorial and this group of activists have set the standard for human rights work in Russia," Cartner said. "We are inspired by their fearlessness, vision, and dedication to justice." Ludmila Alexeeva, together with Andrei Sakharov and others, founded the Moscow Helsinki Group in 1976, to monitor the Soviet Union's compliance with the Helsinki Final Act. She is chairwoman of the group. Sergei Kovalev founded the first Soviet human rights organization, the Initiative Group for the Defense of Human Rights in the USSR, in 1969; he was a founder of Memorial and continues to serve on the board. Oleg Orlov is the chairman of the board of the Memorial Human Rights Center board and is a leading expert on human rights in armed conflict. http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/11/memorial_human_rights_organiza.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.456 2009-10-29T16:22:15Z 2009-10-29T16:25:14Z

Singing Revolution filmmaker Jim Tusty will be in Concord, NH tonight for a Q&A discussion at the Red River Theaters after the film plays. Click here for more details... http://www.singingrevolution.com/cgi-local/screenings.cgi October 29, 2009 Red River Theatres 11 S. Main Street...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ http://www.singingrevolution.com/cgi-local/screenings.cgi October 29, 2009 Red River Theatres 11 S. Main Street Concord, NH 03301 603-224-4600]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/10/singing_revolution_filmmaker_q.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.442 2009-10-03T19:19:40Z 2009-10-03T19:25:32Z

Dear TSR Friends: We wanted to let you know about many upcoming screenings for "The Singing Revolution" in the coming months! These include return engagements in theaters, international film festivals, European screenings, and fundraisers for choral groups open to the...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ http://www.singingrevolution.com/cgi-local/screenings.cgi Here are the locations for some of the upcoming events: Iowa City-IA, Ithaca-NY, Concord-NH, Oslo-Norway, Antigonish-Nova Scotia, Ewing-NJ, Warsaw-Poland, Berlin-Germany. ]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/10/many_upcoming_screenings.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.441 2009-10-03T19:16:59Z 2009-10-03T19:17:57Z

I received this note yesterday on Gandhi's birthday (Oct 2) from "The Philosophy of Nonviolence" Facebook group... Wonderful quote...very Estonian... Gandhi said, "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." Like Gandhi also said, "......

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ I received this note yesterday on Gandhi's birthday (Oct 2) from "The Philosophy of Nonviolence" Facebook group... Wonderful quote...very Estonian... Gandhi said, "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." Like Gandhi also said, "... be the change you want to see in the world." http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/10/gandhi_quote.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.437 2009-09-15T17:27:45Z 2009-09-15T17:30:25Z

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Baltic Chain, Pier 21 is presenting a Diversity Spotlight screening in partnership with the Lithuanian Canadian Community and the Embassy of Lithuania. Join us on Wednesday September 16 at 7:00 p.m. for...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ http://www.pier21.ca/ September 16, 2009 at 7:00pm ]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/09/halifax_canada_screening_wedne.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.432 2009-08-25T15:18:38Z 2009-08-25T15:36:55Z

I'll share two quotes from the article, the headline and the closing paragraph, that says it all... Here's the headline: "Russia accuses Poland of starting Second World War" Russia has accused Poland of provoking the outbreak of the Second World...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ Here's the headline: "Russia accuses Poland of starting Second World War" Russia has accused Poland of provoking the outbreak of the Second World War by refusing to accede to the "very modest" demands of Nazi Germany... And... "Under planned legislation, backed by Mr Medvedev, any Russian or foreigner who claims that the Soviet Union occupied Poland or the Baltic States could face up to five years in prison." Click here or below to read the full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/5445161/Russia-accuses-Poland-of-starting-Second-World-War.html]]> Russia accuses Poland of starting Second World War Russia has accused Poland of provoking the outbreak of the Second World War by refusing to accede to the "very modest" demands of Nazi Germany. By Adrian Blomfield in St Petersburg Published: 4:58PM BST 04 Jun 2009 The Russian defence ministry posted a potentially inflammatory essay on its website which claimed Poland resisted Germany's ultimatums in 1939 only because it "wanted to obtain the status of a great power". The lengthy diatribe, which is unlikely to be welcomed in Warsaw, also lashed out at Britain and France for giving the Poles "delusions of grandeur" by promising to intercede if the Nazis invaded. "Anyone who has been minded to study the history of the Second World War knows it started because of Poland's refusal to meet Germany's requests," the statement read. "The German demands were very modest. You could hardly call them unfounded." Appearing to take Germany's demands at face value, the defence ministry insisted that the Nazis were interested only in building transport links across the Polish Corridor to East Prussia and assuming control of Gdansk, which had been designated as a free city at the time. Western historians largely recognise that Poland would have lost its independence had it acceded to the demands, pointing to Hitler's policies of Lebensbraum and the creation of a Greater Germany as evidence. Germany invaded Poland on Sept 1, 1939, prompting the British Empire and France to declare war over the next two days. Germany and the Soviet Union then carved up Poland under the terms of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The statement, written by Col Sergei Kovalev, a senior researcher at the defence ministry, appears to be part of a new Kremlin campaign to push its view of Soviet era history. Poland's foreign ministry said it would summon Russia's ambassador to Warsaw to demand an explanation, as the allegations showed signs of triggering a major row between the two countries. Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, last month created a commission to identify foreign "revisionists" who disparage the country's prestige and "falsify" its history. Col Kovalev's paper, which appears under a section titled History: Lies and Falsifications, claims that British support for Warsaw caused Poland to "lose all sense of reality." It also attacked the Western press for suggesting that the Soviet Union carried some blame for the War by its alliance with Hitler under the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, which carved up Europe into two spheres of influence to be headed by Hitler and Stalin. "No representative of a Western democracy has the right to discuss any treaty between the Soviet Union and Germany," given that Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement of 1938 giving Germany control of the Sudetenland. As for the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, Col Kovalev wrote, it was merely a time-buying mechanism after Britain refused to sign a mutual defence treaty with the Soviet Union. Under the pact the Soviet Union took control of two-thirds of Poland as well as the Baltic states, but only, he wrote, in order to create a buffer zone that would allow Moscow to marshal its defences ahead of an inevitable war with the Third Reich. Under planned legislation, backed by Mr Medvedev, any Russian or foreigner who claims that the Soviet Union occupied Poland or the Baltic States could face up to five years in prison. ]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/08/russia_accuses_poland_of_start.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.431 2009-08-24T21:54:36Z 2009-08-24T21:57:58Z

A message from Worldfocus, the nightly,international news program shown nationally on public television (check local listings)... As you may know from today's news, two Estonian soldiers were killed today in Afghanistan. To pay tribute to those fallen soldiers, Worldfocus will...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ www.worldfocus.org . Estonia emerges from Soviet rule to fight in Afghanistan In early April, NATO allies decided to contribute 5,000 additional short-term troops to the war effort in Afghanistan, some to help provide security for the country's upcoming elections and others to help train the Afghan army. The small eastern European nation of Estonia, population 1.3 million, has sent troops to Afghanistan, just as it did in Iraq. Worldfocus correspondent Daljit Dhaliwal, producers Sally Garner and Ara Ayer report on Estonia's military after Soviet occupation and its alliance with the U.S. in Afghanistan. Roberta Lee Senior Publicist WNET.ORG 450 W. 33rd Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10001-2605 Tel: 212-560-3134 Email: LeeR@WNET.ORG ]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/08/tonight-_worldfocus_encore_on.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.430 2009-08-20T17:02:19Z 2009-08-20T17:59:06Z

18 years ago today, on August 20, 1991, Estonia bravely re-declared her independence. After over 50 years of Soviet occupation, and a four year non-violent revolution (called the Singing Revolution, '87-'91), the Estonian people took the risk of publicly restating...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ 18 years ago today, on August 20, 1991, Estonia bravely re-declared her independence. After over 50 years of Soviet occupation, and a four year non-violent revolution (called the Singing Revolution, '87-'91), the Estonian people took the risk of publicly restating to the world their rights as a free and sovereign nation under international law. Unarmed citizens stood before tanks, arms linked, to prevent Soviet access to critical information sources such as the TV tower and radio station. Estonian leaders, many previously in bitter conflict over how aggressively to fight Moscow, came together and unified their voices to vote unanimously to re-declare the Republic of Estonia as an independent nation. And while this sounds easy, given how things turned out, no one knew at the time the consequences of that action. Those voting for independence were certain targets for imprisonment and worse. But the coup failed, and Estonia quickly rejoined the world community of free nations. Happy Re-Independence Day, Eesti! Elagu Vabadus! (Long live freedom!) http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/08/today_is_restoration_of_indepe.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.428 2009-08-19T20:34:05Z 2009-08-19T20:48:13Z

This new study illustrates the "Positive Benefits of Choruses and Choral Singing for Children, Adults, and Communities". Just look at Estonia's Singing Revolution to see the impact unified singing can have not only culturally, but politically. Here are a few...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ Adults who sing are remarkably good citizens. A few of the current study's major findings for adult singers include: * Choral participation remains strong in America with 32.5 million adults regularly singing in at least one of 270,000 choruses nationwide. * Choral singers exhibit higher levels of civic involvement, with choristers almost 3 times more likely to be officers or committee members of local community organizations such as the PTA. * 78% of choral singers indicated they "at least sometimes" volunteer their time in their community, while only 50% of the general public say the same. * 74% of choral singers agree or strongly agree that singing in a chorus has helped them become better team leaders or team participants in other areas of their lives; nearly two-thirds agree or strongly agree that being in a chorus has helped them socialize better in other areas of their lives. * Choral singers donate 2.5 times more money to philanthropic organizations than the general public. * 96% of choral singers surveyed who are eligible voters said they vote regularly in national and local elections; only 70% of the general public cites the same level of participation. * Civic engagement also extends to patronage of other art forms, with choral singers at least 2 times more likely to attend theater, opera, and orchestra performances as well as visit museums and art galleries. The 2009 study included a new component that explicitly examined the effects choral singing has on childhood development. The results show children who sing in choirs display many of the enhanced social skills found in adult singers, substantiating earlier conclusions that singing in childhood is likely to have an enormous influence on the choices individuals make later in life. Additionally, both parents and educators attribute a significant proportion of a child's academic success to singing in a choir. Children who sing in choruses have academic success and valuable life skills. Several of the study's major findings for young singers include: * There are approximately 10.1 million American children singing in choruses today. * The majority of parents surveyed believe multiple skills increased after their child joined a chorus. 71% say their child has become more self-confident, 70% say their child's self-discipline has improved, and 69% state their child's memory skills have improved. * More than 80% of educators surveyed--across multiple academic disciplines--agree with parent assessments that choir participation can enhance numerous aspects of a child's social development and academic success. Educators also observe that children who sing are better participants in group activities, have better emotional expression, and exhibit better emotional management. * 90% of educators believe singing in a choir can keep some students engaged in school who might otherwise be lost--this is particularly true of educators (94%) who describe the ethnicity of their schools as diverse. * Children who participate in a chorus get significantly better grades than children who have never sung in a choir. 45% of parents whose children sing state their child receives "all or mostly A's" in mathematics (vs. 38% of non-choir parents) and 54% get "all or mostly A's" in English and other language arts classes (vs. 43%). http://www.chorusamerica.org/about_choralsinging.cfm]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/08/study_shows_value_of_choral_si.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.425 2009-08-12T14:42:36Z 2009-08-12T14:44:03Z

Get on their email list. It's astounding how many journalists are killed or imprisoned each month for trying to get the truth out. www.cpj.org...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ www.cpj.org]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/08/committee_to_protect_journalis.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.424 2009-08-12T14:06:09Z 2009-08-12T14:21:33Z

UPDATED INFO - August 23, 2009 MRP anniversary/ Baltic Way solidarity events in Washington, DC: ---11:00 a.m. - Lithuanian Embassy opens doors (2622 16th St., NW) ---12:00 noon - Baltic Way Song Transmission at Lithuanian Embassy ---2:00 p.m. - DC...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ UPDATED INFO - August 23, 2009 MRP anniversary/ Baltic Way solidarity events in Washington, DC: ---11:00 a.m. - Lithuanian Embassy opens doors (2622 16th St., NW) ---12:00 noon - Baltic Way Song Transmission at Lithuanian Embassy ---2:00 p.m. - DC Baltic Way links up on Mass Ave. bt. Estonian and Latvian Embassies ---2:30 p.m. - Georgian solidarity event at Georgian Embassy (2209 Mass Ave., NW) ---Mass. Ave. embassies are open until 4:00 p.m. with exhibits and information. This year August 23 will mark the 70th year since the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (MRP) between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. That agreement between Stalin and Hitler doomed half of Europe to decades of misery under foreign tyranny. On August 23, 1979, the Baltic Appeal was sent by 45 persons from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to demand the MRP's and its secret protocols' public disclosure and annulment, and the restoration of the independence of the Baltic countries, then occupied by the Soviet Union. This was an important step on the road to back to freedom. August 23 also marks the 20th anniversary of the Baltic Way, which united the nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania against Soviet oppression and occupation. On that day in 1989, over a quarter of the populations of the three Baltic countries joined hands for nearly 400 miles to demonstrate their love of freedom. On Sunday, August 23, 2009 those events will be remembered in a half day commemoration and celebration in Washington, DC in which the Baltic Way will be recreated. You are invited to join that day to remember, take part and link hands in the 2009 Baltic Way, and to show solidarity with our friends in Central and Eastern Europe, including those in the country of Georgia, who have suffered a year since the Russian invasion and occupation of their territories. For 2009 Baltic Way in DC event information, please contact JBANC or visit: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111863782117 ]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/08/updated_info_-_mrp_anniversary.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.423 2009-08-05T18:39:19Z 2009-08-05T19:03:24Z

Two events in Washington DC that mark the the signing of the MRP, and the 1989 "Baltic Chain" (also known as the Baltic Way), info below. To see a clip from "The Singing Revolution" about the Baltic Chain protest, CLICK...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ CLICK HERE. EVENT 1: Save the Date: This year August 23 will mark the 70th year since the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (MRP) between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. That agreement between Stalin and Hitler doomed half of Europe to decades of misery under foreign tyranny. August 23 also marks the 20th anniversary of the Baltic Way (or Baltic Chain), which united the nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania against Soviet oppression and occupation. On that day in 1989, over a quarter of the populations of the three Baltic countries joined hands for nearly 400 miles to demonstrate their love of freedom. On Sunday, August 23, 2009 those two events will be remembered in a half day commemoration and celebration in Washington, DC in which the Baltic Way will be recreated. You are invited to join that day to remember, take part and link hands in the 2009 Baltic Way, and to show solidarity with our friends in Central and Eastern Europe, including those in the country of Georgia, who have suffered a year since the Russian invasion and occupation of their territories. Sunday, August 23, 2009 Time: 11:00am - 4:00pm Location: Washington, DC Email jbanc@jbanc.org for more details or visit http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111863782117 EVENT 2: The Hitler-Stalin Deal Dividing Europe 70 Years Later How the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact Impacts the World Today Keynote Remarks: The Honorable Sven Mikser Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, Parliament, Republic of Estonia Followed by a Panel Discussion Dr. Michael Szporer Professor of Communications, Arts and Humanities, University of Maryland, University College Chris Socha Senior Policy Advisor for U.S. Senator Jim DeMint, Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe Host: Dr. Lee Edwards Distinguished Fellow in Conservative Thought, The Heritage Foundation Date: Thursday, August 6, 2009 Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Location: The Heritage Foundation's Allison Auditorium TO RSVP CLICK HERE or CALL (202) 675-1752 News media inquiries, please call (202) 675-1761 DETAILS: One of the most cynical treaties in modern history was signed on August 23, 1939, by Nazi Foreign Minister Ribbentrop and Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was termed a non-aggression pact but was in fact an aggression pact against free and independent neighboring countries. A secret protocol divided Central and Eastern Europe into spheres of influence between the two totalitarian countries. A week later Nazi Germany invaded Poland, starting World War II, and shortly thereafter the Soviet Union absorbed Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into its empire for more than 50 years. Since regaining their independence after the collapse of Soviet communism, the Baltic states and all of Eastern and Central Europe have spent considerable time and money on security arrangements that would minimize the effect of any similar "great power" treaty. The "end of history" optimism that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall 20 years ago has been replaced in large part by realpolitik pessimism. The Heritage Foundation has assembled a panel of experts to discuss the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and to examine key questions such as: Should "great powers" be permitted to make decisions without regard for their impact on smaller sovereign nations? What role should NATO, the EU and the UN play in minimizing the impact of great power pacts?]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/08/two_events_to_note_the_mrp_70t.shtml tag:www.singingrevolution.com,2009:/blog//4.418 2009-08-04T19:36:49Z 2009-08-04T19:42:18Z

Interesting article on the healing power of music by Anne Applebaum. Here's an excerpt... "......there are halls of residence at Walter Reed where depressed young men sit in their rooms and stare at the walls. And then there is the...

Maureen http://www.singingrevolution.com/ Click here to read the full article.]]> http://www.singingrevolution.com/blog/2009/08/healing_power_of_music.shtml