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It Happened at the UN: Week Ending April 18

Arthur Bassas
• April 18, 2025

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Arthur Bassas

April 18, 2025

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Members of Batalá New York — At the UN's Permanent Forum for People of African Descent, held April 14-17, a "Beats of Solidarity" drum-dialogue performance on the plaza featured numerous groups. Here, Batalá New York, consisting of only women drummers, playing Afro-Brazilian music and dance. Their creative inspiration is drawn from Salvador de Bahia, in northeast Brazil. JOHN PENNEY/PASSBLUE

Kofago drummers and dancers — The Kofago group draws its work from the drumming traditions of the Senegal-Gambian region, which includes the Sabar and Djembe drum families, as well as lesser-known instruments like the tama, or talking drum, bougarabou, and kutiro drums. JOHN PENNEY/PASSBLUE

Kofago drummers and dancers — The use of drums in Kofago's performances are not just for accompaniment but also for storytelling elements and cultural transmission. JOHN PENNEY/PASSBLUE

“Beats of Solidarity” – a drum dialogue featuring groups representing the rich musical traditions of Africa and the African Diaspora. On Monday, 14 April on the UN Visitors Plaza. The event is co-organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Fund, United Nations Human Rights, and the United Nations Department of Global Communications.

Performers: Kotchegna -- Representing Cumbe: Center for African and African Diaspora Dance, Kotchegna means "messenger" in Mahou, an Ivorian dialect. Kotchegna was founded in 1989 by Vado Diomande, a former principal dancer in the Ballet National de Cote D'Ivoire. Vado grew to learn the rhythms as much as he knew the dances of his country. — The Kotchegna group from Cumbe: Center for African and African Diaspora Dance. Kotchegna means "messenger" in Mahou, an Ivorian dialect. The group was founded in 1989 by Vado Diomande, a former principal dancer in the Ballet National de Cote D'Ivoire. JOHN PENNEY/PASSBLUE

“Beats of Solidarity” – a drum dialogue featuring groups representing the rich musical traditions of Africa and the African Diaspora. On Monday, 14 April on the UN Visitors Plaza. The event is co-organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Fund, United Nations Human Rights, and the United Nations Department of Global Communications.

Performers: Kotchegna -- Representing Cumbe: Center for African and African Diaspora Dance, Kotchegna means "messenger" in Mahou, an Ivorian dialect. Kotchegna was founded in 1989 by Vado Diomande, a former principal dancer in the Ballet National de Cote D'Ivoire. Vado grew to learn the rhythms as much as he knew the dances of his country. — Kotchegna performers. The founder, Vado Diomande, right, was inspired in his youth by the rhythms and dances of his country. JOHN PENNEY/PASSBLUE

Endless Vibrationz dancers and drummers — Endless Vibrationz are based in Trinidadian folklore with a splash of West African culture. The group was created to give youth a healthy outlet in their community. JOHN PENNEY/PASSBLUE

Endless Vibrationz dancers and drummers — Endless Vibrationz is a group rooted in Trinidadian folklore with a splash of West African culture. JOHN PENNEY/PASSBLUE

Ballet Fe sa: — Performers from Ballet Fe Sa, based in Brooklyn, N.Y., use traditions rooted in Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, mixed with jazz and hip-hop and sounds of New York City. JOHN PENNEY/PASSBLUE

Ballet Fe sa — Ballet Fe Sa means "show them," or what the group considers its musical ethos. JOHN PENNEY/PASSBLUE

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Arthur Bassas

Arthur Bassas is a researcher and writer who graduated from St. Andrews in Scotland, majoring in international relations and terrorism. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., and speaks English and French.

Categories: Africa, Gender Violence, Humanitarian Aid, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Security Council, This Week @UN, Ukraine-Russia War, US-UN Relations
Tags: Israeli-Palestinian conflict, migrants, Russia-Ukraine war, UN peacekeeping, UN Security Council, US-UN relations, Violence Against Women

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