“I know you are tired, but come, this is the way.” – Rumi
WHAT IS “MUSIC IN MY SUITCASE”?
The foundation of the “Music in My Suitcase” initiative rests on a simple yet deeply emotional idea: music knows no boundaries; music speaks all languages. While headlines about the migrant crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina are decreasing in the media, the need for understanding and integrating people on the move remains. This is precisely what Kuma International strives to achieve through this innovative initiative. The project’s core concept is to connect people on the move – who leave their homes and heritage behind while escaping conflicts and uncertainty – with the local community through a shared language: music. Kuma International, with the local band BalkanEros and migrants from the Ušivak reception center and in cooperation with and financed by CRS, conducted ten music workshops where knowledge about the musical heritages of the migrants’ home countries was transmitted through songs and collaborative music-making. As the workshops’ output, an album of ten songs was recorded. The shared journey culminates in a public concert featuring the album’s presentation. This is beyond being just a musical event; it is a powerful message about the importance of understanding and support among people. Our guests can hear songs that hold deeper meaning than mere music, and the origin of these songs follows the same path taken by migrants traveling to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Our deepest gratitude goes to our friends who shared their time with us and gave unmeasurable value to everything we created together. We will cherish the memories of this time forever. May your steps and every road you walk be filled with loving blessings, laughter, and music.
Ali A, Ali D, Danial, Farnosh, Ayoub, Fatemeh, Jamal, Omar, Jado, Noor,
you will always have a friend in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
ONLINE STREAMING
HOW did our journey look like?
Art workshop with children
As our dedicated project team harmonized melodies and forged profound connections with the spirited youth at the camp, the incredibly talented artist, Sabina Cvjetković, embarked on a heartwarming journey with the camp’s youngest guests. Over the course of two enchanting sessions, she nurtured the creative spirits of five children (3-9 years old), resulting in the birth of nearly twenty captivating pieces of artwork. These artistic treasures not only graced our impactful exhibition presented at the project finale but also found a cherished place within the very essence of our project’s visual identity design.
*Check the content on the table. 😉
Knowledge and music transfer sessions
Following preparation and the identification of music talents within the camp, our team orchestrated a series of ten transformative workshops over a span of just two months. What set the stage for the profound success of these interactions was our decision to relocate our guests from the camp to the heart of Sarajevo, within the welcoming embrace of Kuma International’s headquarters. These workshops were not just task-oriented; they were richly immersive experiences, interweaving the sharing of stories, culinary delights, and a wealth of collective experiences. In this remarkably short span, we transformed into an inseparable unit, a close-knit team of 15 individuals who, given the circumstances, quickly evolved into the tightest of friends. This shared energy infused the atmosphere with an electric spirit, fostering an ideal environment for the exchange of musical knowledge and the extraordinary realization of our shared creative aspirations.
Album production
Following the successful completion of ten immersive music transfer workshops and carefully curated recording sessions, our proficient production team embarked on the next important phase – bringing the music album to its grand finale. Initially planned for the recording of seven songs, our artistic journey led us to a profound realization; we needed to encompass the essence of three more songs. The team exhibited exceptional dedication, ensuring every recording, mixing, and mastering session met the highest standards. In an impressive three-month timeframe, we crafted and produced an authentic music album of high-level quality, a testament to our unwavering commitment to artistic excellence and to preservance of original sounds.
The visual identity design
The Logo – “equalizer represents the essence of music—harmony, rhythm, and balance. By fusing it with a suitcase, we encapsulate the idea of carrying music, culture, and stories wherever one goes. It symbolizes the journey of migration and the transformative power of music”. – Studio Ideologija
The visionary designers from the esteemed “Ideologija” studio crafted our project’s visual identity with precision. Their creativity resulted in the development of distinctive, purposeful, evocative, and resonant assets. From the captivating logo to the all-encompassing poster, a download badge, and extending to all project materials, these designs align with the core messages that thread through our entire venture. In a masterstroke of emotional depth, the inclusion of drawings from children in the camp infused the entire collection with heartfelt significance, elevating our visual identity to a profound level.
Balkaneros Band
Balkaneros, a musical ensemble comprised of six professionals, defines itself as a tight-knit music family, bound by the resonating motto “La Musique Speaks tutto Linguae.” Anchored firmly in the world of Balkan rhythms, they’ve graced national TV screens as the esteemed host band since their inception in 2011. What makes them special is their extraordinary repertoire that expertly traverses the globe in a Balkan embrace while simultaneously infusing the Balkans with a universal essence of music. Their journey is a musical odyssey. From prestigious high-level venues to impromptu street performances, they’ve taken their melodies to the streets, ensuring that music reaches every corner. In a remarkable display of dedication, all six members lent their artistry to conduct the ten transformative music workshops. Their involvement and profound connection with our guests were instrumental, breathing life into the album and contributing significantly to its resounding success. Their artistry and human approach made them the perfect companions for this journey.
The Album
This extraordinary album is a tapestry woven with ten spellbinding melodies, each meticulously handpicked to narrate the epic tale of our world through the lens of migration. It embarks on a journey mirroring the routes that courageous migrants traverse, commencing in the far reaches of the East, venturing through India, embarking to Cuba, and finally circling back to the heart of Europe.
We’ve made this album and its accompanying songbook, with lyrics, available for free download. This gesture allows our gifted collaborators to revel in their creations from any corner of the globe, instilling them with well-deserved pride. Moreover, it serves as an open invitation to a global audience, inviting them to partake in our story and embrace our message through the power of world music.
The Concert
7th of September 2023
Our extraordinary six-month journey reached its highlight within the inspiring embrace of atelier “Figure,” nestled at the very heart of Sarajevo’s city center. On this magical evening, the band with guests performed the soul-stirring melodies from the album.
The audience of 140 music lovers, travelers, and friends supported our cause by sharing this night with us. The emotional reactions visible throughout the performance and the heartfelt applause that echoed long after the final note bore witness to the profound resonance of our message and the transformative power of human connection. Visitors also had the unique opportunity to actively participate, sharing harmonious moments with the band. The evening was a symphony of connections, emotions, and shared experiences, encapsulating the true spirit of the “Music in My Suitcase” initiative.
The Treasure
Noureiz Javed – Noor
In the course of our unique journey, serendipity led us to encounter a young prodigy from Pakistan, gifted with an extraordinary vocal talent that left us awestruck. His name is Noor, which, fittingly, means “Light.” Noor’s radiant presence illuminated our recording sessions, and he graced our concert as the cherished guest of honor.
He lent his enchanting voice to two songs on the album, a discovery of immense significance. Noor is the embodiment of our mission, a living testament to the untold treasures arriving in our country, enriching our local community. His choice to establish roots in Tuzla and build a family here adds immeasurable value, reinforcing the profound impact of the connections we aim to foster. The “Light” in his name is emblematic of how opening our hearts and doors to people can bring a luminous transformation to life.
Travelers – The Documentary
During this creative process, we recognized the potential to weave our journey into a captivating visual narrative – a documentary that would serve as a powerful tool for advocacy, allowing us to champion and propagate the messages at the heart of “Music in My Suitcase.” Our aspiration is that this documentary, born from our passion and purpose, will traverse vast distances, share our example, and inspire others to take a look at the topic of migration from another perspective. We envision it as a mesmerizing ambassador, a storyteller, capable of reaching the farthest corners of the globe. As it embarks on its own voyage, we anticipate it will find a receptive audience in film festivals and other public spaces for dialogue, enabling our story to resonate with diverse cultures, forging connections, fostering understanding, and illustrating all of us as Travelers.
The Feedback
A.A., m, 23, Iran: “I have been to all the camps on the migrant route from Iran. No one ever invited us to do something with them. No one treated us like people, they just avoided us. I have never experienced this. I would come here every day, I would sleep here. I feel like I’m with my brothers and sisters.”
D.H., m, 32, Iran: “There is no joy in the life of a refugee. Just a lot of depression. We must grasp at the smallest moments and sources of happiness, like this one.”
N.J., m, Pakistan: “I don’t know what may happen because of your invitation, but I want to participate. I have a feeling that you are a team of good people and the opportunity to play music means a lot to me.”
Z.H.Z., f, 67, Bosnian in USA: “Amazing. No one left their home and country because they liked it that way, but because some greater force drove them away. Thank you for this idea.”
D.Ć., f, 40, Zenica, BiH: “A project that proves that a wonderful story can be realized with a little enthusiasm and a touch of madness. I’m looking forward to listening to the songs. Big greetings to all participants of the album.”
S.S., f, 53, Bosnian in USA: “Fantastic. How wonderful it is when people look for what is similar to them, instead of accentuating the differences! Music is truly a universal language, and you truly speak it from the heart.”
A.H., f, 49, Sarajevo, BiH: “The magic you produced at the concert has never been seen in the ‘project world’. I’m sure no one can replicate this.”
A.A., f, 49, Sarajevo, BiH: “I had to write to you. Now, after I had a magnificent night, I can definitely say that you have created the most beautiful, warmest, and most sincere project since there have been projects in Bosnia. Thank you. Bravo!”
N.T., f, 39, Sarajevo, BiH: “Thank you so much for the invite to Music in My Suitcase. It was such a moving experience. I feel honored to have been there.”
Our Team
Claudia Zini, PhD
Founder and Director of Kuma Int.
Ferida Abdagić
Project Manager
Selver Učanbarlić
Project Coordinator
Back to beginning
As we stand at the crossroads of our journey, having effectively executed all planned activities, it’s clear that we are merely embarking on a new chapter. This project has opened a profound space, uncharted in our previous endeavors. With the variety of achievements now at our disposal, we possess powerful tools to continue our exploration of vital topics – migration, integration, and the crucial role of art in bridging and healing deep traumas.
Our vision extends beyond this project’s culmination. We aspire to have the band, the album, and the documentary as key assets, facilitating the ongoing dissemination of positive stories within the narrative of migration, migrant experiences, and the broader realm of human rights. Our primary focus is to catalyze change within the tapestry of Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, our hearts remain open to the prospect of our narrative extending its reach, transcending boundaries into regions throughout Europe – lands dealing with their unique challenges linked to migration.
Within societies that still harbor misconceptions and prejudice towards those who are different, we view the use of public spaces as an imperative for spotlighting the favorable aspects of migration. We aim to illuminate human stories, harnessing their experiences as exemplars of best practices. In this endeavor, we shall persist as torchbearers, sharing our message of unity, acceptance, and humanity upon the public conscience.
If you feel our message resonates with yours, and you wish to host our program, we will be happy to read your email invitation sent to ferida@kumainternational.org
©Music in My Suitcase 2023.
Made with love by Kuma International & CRS
UBUNTU – I am because you are ❤️