US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA402

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000402 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA, ECA, IIPF 
 
PARIS FOR ARS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA 
FROM BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OEXC, OPRC, SCUL, KPAO, ODIP, KIRC, KPLS, KSPR, AMGT, CF 
SUBJECT: CONGO/B: PD PROGRAM REPORTING - PERFORMING 
ARTS - ELLISON MCDANIEL ARTTISONOPENING OF FIRST 
CONGO/B AMERICAN CORNER (FEBRUARYSEPT 22-288, 2005) 
 
1. Name of Program: Performing Arts - Ellison McDaniel 
Arttison (Singer and Cellist)American Corner Opening 
 
2. Summary of Topics/Venues/Audiences: 
Topic: American Negro SpiritualsOpening of first 
American Corner in Congo/B 
Venues: MERC, BDEAC, French Cultural Center, Holy 
Spirit Church -United Nations Information Center 
Brazzaville (Republic of Congo) 
Audience: 15 workshop participants, 82045 audience 
members.  The majority of invited guests to BDEAC event 
included government ministers and local NGOS, local 
private sector and some embassiesUnited Nations 
officials and employees (including the Coordinator of 
the UN Systems in Congoresident representative)American 
private sector,  and the Congo/B Minister of Culture. 
 
Dates: February 22-28Sept8, 2004. 
 
3. Effectiveness: The programpening ceremony 
commemorated Black History month and providgenerated an 
opportunity for the audiences to hear American shost 
government, pirituals.  The programs were covered by 
two Congolese television stations, and Mr. Arttison was 
interviewed on TV for a cultural news program that was 
aired on the day of his first performance and sparked 
audience interestAmerican Corner and fulfilled a long- 
term demand for a center where people can have access 
to materials on American life, history, current events 
and culture.  This first American Corner in Congo/B is 
open three two ddays a week for three and half hours. 
 each and serves 15 people each day that it is open, 
its maximum capacity. 
 
4. Quality of Department Support: Very good.Excellent. 
Guidance and funding were responsive.  In addition, 
pPost used old furniture and existing resources, 
including books, videocassettes and excess computers. 
American employees regularly donate videos, DVD's, and 
magazines that they receive by subscription tto stock 
the American Corner with recent issues 
 
5. Immediate RESULTS/Impact Report: 
 
Embassy Brazzaville hosted singer/cellist Ellison 
McDaniel Arttison February 22-28, 2005, for three 
performances and a workshop with local musicians.  Mr. 
Arttison's programs, showcasing traditional American 
spirituals, were well attended and very much 
appreciated. 
 
Mr. Arttison began by holding a workshop February 24 
with 15 local musicians opened the first at the Embassy- 
UNDP funded Multi-Educational Resource Center (MERC) 
located at the United Nations Information Center.  The 
Congolese musicians shared views and ideas with Mr. 
Arttison, who showed their talent and dedication 
despite the hardships of a society recuperating from 
nearly SIX years of civil warfare. 
 
DRTV, an independent Brazzaville television station, 
interviewed Mr. Arttison on February 24 for a cultural 
news program called "InfoCulture."  The significance of 
Black History Month and the artistic contributions of 
African-Americans were reviewed, and Mr. Arttison gave 
a short performance on the cello.  The cello is rarely 
seen or heard in Brazzaville, and it provoked 
particular interest, which was highlighted in the TV coverage 
of Mr. Arttison's programs. 
 
On Friday evening, February 25, the modern, glass- 
walled lobby of the Development Bank of the Central 
African States (BDEAC), which is also the site of the Embassy's 
future interim office, was transformed into the 
American Jazz Caf for 142 invited guests, including 
the Congolese Minister of Culture, NGO directors, the 
private sector and other Embassy contacts.  The 
audience enjoyed a buffet dinner before the 90-minute 
performance.  TV coverage provided home viewers with a 
taste of the performance, and some audience members 
remarked that it was a rare pleasure to hear live cello 
music in Brazzaville. 
 
Mr. Arttison gave a public performance at the French 
Cultural Center auditorium on Saturday evening, 
February 26.  About 200 people attended and warmly 
applauded an hour-long recital of spirituals 
accompanied by cello and piano.  Immediately after the 
performance, some of the musicians who had attended Mr. 
Arttison's workshop held a spontaneous outdoor jam 
session at the French Cultural Center Caf.  They 
played bebop, classic and modern jazz for some 40 
listeners. 
 
Mr. Arttison capped the week with a Mass concert on 
Sunday, February 27, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in 
the Moungali section of Brazzaville.  He performed with 
the church's "Tongues of Fire" choir for about 500 
listeners, including the church's pastor and the Mayor 
of Brazzaville's Poto-Poto district.  The performance 
further cemented the Embassy's continuing work with 
this very talented choir, which sang with visiting 
artist Ursuline Kairson and at the Embassy's July 4 
reception during 2004 and at the French cultural Center 
with singer Kairson in 2003. 
 
Mr. Arttison closed his week on February 28 by giving 
an interview to the newspaper "The New Republican." 
 
Embassy Brazzaville appreciated Mr. Arttison's effort 
and dedication.  He noted that he was traveling to 
Africa for the first time.  At several points, he noted 
the challenges faced by Congolese musicians, from lack 
of venues to lack of access to musical instruments.  At 
the same time, he observed that Corner in the Republic 
of Congo  (Congo/Bhas a tremendous pool of talent. 
Embassy Brazzaville thanks ARS for its invaluable 
assistance with this program. 
 
ceremony.  45 invited guests attended..   The American 
Corner was developed in partnership with the United 
Nations Development Program in Congo/B, which provided 
space in the United Nations Information Center in 
Brazzaville to house the American Corner. 
 
The Ambassador Robin Sanders, the Coordinator of the UN 
Systems Resident Representative Aurelien Agbenonci and 
Congo/B Minister of Culture Jean-Claude Gakosso spoke 
at the ceremony. 
 
The American Corner is the only source in Brazzaville 
for English-language materialslibrary in Brazzaville 
available to the general public and the only source in 
Congo/B of collected information about the United 
States.  It has three rooms and offers 900 books in 
French and English, videocassettes, satellite TV 
connection to CNN, and Internet access, along with 
comfortable chairs and sofas where users can read or 
browse materials.  It is open three wo ddays a week for 
three hours and half hours each day and already  and 
been fullto its draws 15 users a day, its maximum 
capacity since the opening.  Users register in advance 
for American Corner time in order to maximize use and 
avoid overcrowding. 
 
The opening ceremony was carried on the overed by local 
national midday and evening news  television and in the 
print media.  The American Corner also was used as 
backdrop for a TV interview by of the DDCM on November 
3 that covered U.S. election results, how U.S. 
elections are conducted and how the U.S. electoral 
college system works, and for a post-election wrap 
interview by the Ambassador on November 8, 2004 . 
 
6. Embassy Office Brazzaville - Sanders 
MEECE