GEN ROSSO - Tournée in Brazil and WYD 2013

From May 16 to July 27, 2013, the Gen Rosso Group is in Brazil on a very special tournée presenting  its  “Strong without violence” project.  In Europe,  about 500,000 young people have already participated in this initiative, whose  goal,  recognized and funded by the European Union, is to contribute towards strengthening against violence, isolation, drugs, bullying, and many other various kinds of  subtle but painful experiences of oppression.

 The focal point of this project is the musical “Streetlight”  which narrates a true story, that of Charles Moats (1951 - 1969), who grew up in the ghettos of Chicago and remained faithful to his gospel-related ideals, despite the difficulties and the hatred he encountered.  He decided  against violence and  he sticked to his choice in a very coherent way, even at the cost of his own life.

In Brazil, young people recovering from various addictions in therapeutic communities are involved in “Streetlight.”  They come from the communities of “Fazenda da Esperanca”  and also  from other ecclesial or social realties  such as the Association for the  Protection and Assistance to Prisoners ( APAC),  the Mundo Novo Sem Drogas Movement,  the Casa do Menor de Nova Iguaçu (RJ), Canção Nova and the Shalom Community.

Each  “show de vida” – as the Brazilians call it – is enriched  by the presence of 220  young people, who work with the Gen Rosso artists and contribute towards song,  playing musical instruments, dance, theatre, percussion, stage design and light and sound techniques. To date, 1060 young people have been involved in performances held in 6 cities, where more than 10,000 people attended these shows.

After Aparecida, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, St. Louis, Aracaju and Fortaleza, Gen Rosso’s  last stop will be at Rio de Janiero for the WYD.  On the Vigil of July 27 which will be held at Campus Fidei, about 200 young people from Aparecida and Sao Paulo belonging to Fazenda da Esperança and other associations will be on the main stage with Gen Rosso to perform some scenes from “Streetlight”. They will give a witness of the change experienced in their lives through giving themselves and their talents to others. “Thanks to you, I believe there is a future ahead of me and that I am a worthy person”. “You brought God back into my heart”. “It has been an inexplicable and deep experience... how many lives are united by a single dream; I have seen a united world unfold before my eyes!” – these are some comments from the  young participants  in the project, an example of  the many changes  in   mentality and  of the profound meanings  it has aroused.