Notes From The Field

Firebird: Young Romanians inspired to dance!

If you know me, then you'll know that I'm far from impressing anyone with my skills of dancing in any style or to any sort of music. Despite that, I very much appreciate contemporary dance. So, I'm looking forward to going to the Enescu Festival in Bucharest this week to see a performance of Stravinsky's Firebird. And not performed by a professional dance company, but by around 100 underprivileged Romanian teenagers under the expert guidance of choreographers Royston Maldoom and Josef Eder. It will be the first community dance performance staged in Romania.

This hugely ambitious project is the brainchild of my mother-in-law Monique Gruber. While living in Bucharest a few years ago she devoted much of her spare time and (boundless) energy to helping street kids.

Monique has since established the charity Jungen Rumänen eine Chance! to continue supporting young Romanians, many of whom are among the most vulnerable in society.

It's inspiring to read the project blog Dance With Us as it chronicles the journey the kids are taking in the lead up to Saturday's performance, and to read of the massive logistical effort to keep over 100 teenagers and volunteers housed, fed and happy over the past month.

Take a look at this clip of RHYTHM IS IT! to get a sense what the project is trying to achieve.

I know any donation will make a difference. Details for donations by bank transfer are below. Go on, you know it makes sense - every euro counts for these children.

I'll be tweeting from Bucharest and will pass on all messages of encouragement for the kids and volunteers.

Account name: "Jungen Rumänen eine Chance!"
Account Nr: 2381435
Badische Beamten Bank
(BLZ 66090800)
IBAN: DE6609 0800 0002 3814 35
BIC: GENODE61888

The association is recognized by the Finanzamt Überlingen as a charitable corporation. Accordingly, your contribution can be deducted from your taxable income. For a donation receipt send a mail to: wm.gruber@gmail.com. If you do not object, your name will appear on our list of friends and supporters of the association.

(Photo: Daniel Angelescu)

Summer and something of a seaside independence

(First published on the Frontline Club blog)

Earlier in August I had the opportunity to film in Abkhazia with Matthew Collin -  Al Jazeera's correspondent in Georgia and fellow Frontline blogger.

It's now one year since Russia recognised Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.

The first time I visited Abkhazia was in December 2006 to produce radio features.

I had always wanted to visit the region during summer. This time I was keen to not only experience what brings Russian tourists and their much needed roubles to Abkhazia's Black Sea coast, but also try to get a sense of what's happened inside the territory in the past year.

Abkhazia is not the Côte d'Azur, but if you're after a cheap flop and drop beachside holiday, plenty of hearty shashlik or trout, cold beer and smooth vodka, then Abkhazia would fit the bill.

Unfortunately the closest I came to a quick dip at the beach was filming two Russian anti-submarine corvettes anchored of the coast near Novy Afon. My bad luck for not getting up early for a dawn patrol paddle.

Russia has announced it will begin providing protection for merchant vessels trading with Abkhazia. That's the sort of news that will go down well with local taxi drivers complaining of fuel shortages after Georgia's coast guard recently intercepted a tanker.

Early in the trip we had the chance to interview Abkhazia's Vice Foreign Minister, Maxim Gunjia. He says that since Russia recognised Abkhazia as independent and pledged to offer protection, Abkhazians have more confidence to invest and develop businesses.

Gunjia says the Russian-Abkhaz relationship is broad and rejects the idea that Abkhazia is just a buffer state.

 
Max Gunjia clip by fieldreports

Matthew Collin's online report has more and you can also watch the accompanying video feature.


  (Photos: Guy Degen)