Three choirs, two in Rovereto and one in Bethlehem, came together on December 2nd at the Bell to remind us that there is no alternative to peace. The meeting, jointly promoted by the Foundation and the Custody of the Holy Land, wished to focus on the unifying power of music. «Notes of Peace. Rovereto - Bethlehem» is the title of an initiative that may still be viewed on YouTube at the following link.

It is possible to listen to the entire speech by Secretary to the Foundation, Paolo Mirandola, who brought greetings from Foundation President Marco Marsilli, and reiterated that «we cannot tolerate what has happened and is happening». «Gaza, Jerusalem and Bethlehem – he added – are the places where we reaffirm the purpose of the Bell of the Fallen». And you can still see and hear the youngsters of the Rovereto Children’s Choir who, directed by Maestro Gianpaolo Daicampi, remind us that «peace is possible», as well as the adults of the Sant'Ilario Choir, directed by Maestro Federico Mozzi, who opened their performance in Friulian dialect with Ai preat, a prayer for the end of all wars. Approximately 3,600 kilometres to the south-east there was another choir, made up of boys from Bethlehem who that evening were not sure which way to go home so as to avoid the bombings. However, they didn't want to give up singing in live streaming to remind everyone that there must be hope. There was only one main difference between the Rovereto children and them which was highlighted by Father Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, in his apt introduction: «these kids haven't laughed for weeks».