Concert, Exhibit in Odesa to Pay Tribute to New Orleans

Odesa, Ukraine—Two coastal cities will open a new chapter of cultural cooperation – through music. On September 2, on Odesa City Day, the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra will dedicate its performance to New Orleans, honoring the memory of the Hurricane Katrina victims of August 2005. Concurrently, Odessa Philharmonic Hall will host an exhibition on jazz and the cultural heritage of this great American city.
Representatives of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and Loyola University will travel to Odesa for this occasion to discuss with their Odesa colleagues possibilities for a new exchange program between the leading cultural institutions of the two cities. The idea to commonly explore and mutually enrich the cultures of Odesa and New Orleans was originally proposed in 2005. The Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center sought to conduct research on historical and cultural parallels between the two cities, from the day
of their establishment as imperial borderland outposts until the present day. Both cities are children of the 18th century, conceived as truly "European" in design and spirit. Throughout the ages these vibrant cosmopolitan ports attracted multitudes of ethnic groups from countless countries who eventually shaped their unique urban cultures.
Today, New Orleans will cooperate with their Odesa colleagues towards preserving and enriching each city's cultural heritage through the exchange of experts who will enable them to
learn from the experience of their partner country.

What: Music, Exhibit in Odesa to Pay Tribute to New Orleans
Who: Performance by Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra and exhibit on jazz and the cultural heritage of New Orleans
When: September 2, 2008
Where: Odessa Philharmonic Hall in Odesa, Ukraine

For media inquiries and interview requests, contact Nataliya Samozvanova in the Kennan Institute's Kyiv Office.

Tel: (044) 288-9532
E-Mail: kennan@kennan.kiev.ua