2014-07-23 12:27:00

"Playing For Change": building a better world


(Vatican Radio) "Playing For Change" is a movement  to make the world a better place... it’s where Change comes with sharing and celebrating diversity, breaking down boundaries, overcoming distance and – ultimately - coming together for peace; it’s where “Playing” refers to the universal language of music and its power to connect!

Of course, in keeping with the times, all those involved in “Playing For Change” make good use of today’s technological possibilities. So, as well as play great music, they have created an exciting multimedia project which cannot but reach out to (as well as feature) people of all generations and cultures…

Vatican Radio's Linda Bordoni speaks to PFC team member and drummer, Peter Bunetta in the studio of Vatican Radio as the band tours Italy for the first time since its beginnings in 2002.

Listen to the interview

Peter Bunetta speaks of how “Playing For Change” was born in 2002 as a shared vision between co-founders, Mark Johnson and Whitney Kroenke, and of how it resulted in the award-winning documentary, “A Cinematic Discovery of Street Musicians.”

He tells of when Mark Johnson was walking down the street in Santa Monica, California, when he heard the voice of Roger Ridley singing “Stand By Me”. 

The performance – Bunetta says – was so moving and powerful, Johnson recorded it asked Roger what he was doing singing on the streets with a voice like that. To which Ridley answered: “Man I’m in the Joy business, I come out to be with the people.” Ever since that day – Bunetta says - the Playing For Change crew has traveled the world recording and filming musicians, creating Songs Around the World, and building a global family.

The movement has since united many of the greatest musicians playing today. They come from many different countries and cultures, but through music they speak the same language.

The movement has also spurned the “Playing For Change Foundation” which raises money to build music and art schools for children around the world with the explicit aim of creating hope and inspiration for the future of our planet.

To find out more about the world of “Playing For Change”, you can visit its website  at www.playingforchange.com. It introduces all the members, has links to their videos and of course to the award-winning documentary film that Peter talks about. It also points to some things you can do to support the Foundation and of course tells you when and where you can catch the band.








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