The loud music, the bright colors. Euphoria fills the air, with clapping and laughter. And on stage, surrounded by a cheering crowd, a group of policemen and policewomen, along with the citizens, are singing their hearts out.The performance was carried out in a style called dohori, a dialogue between two parties who make their arguments through songs and rhymes (and the occasional dance move!). “I have never seen anything like this”, said Sita, a 62-year-old woman in the crowd. For her and many others attending, seeing a police officer’s singing performance was an absolute first. For Search for Common Ground (SFCG), it was yet another demonstration that culture and music can bridge the toughest divides. In communities across the country, the relationship between the police and civilians is affected by mistrust and low cooperation. The results are poor access to justice and a decreased standard of living for everybody—the civilians, who don’t feel safe, and the police, who feel isolated from the people that they’re supposed to serve. With Pahunch, SFCG is creating occasions for the two groups to get to know each other and cooperate. Creative outreach campaigns are a big part of this process. With the dohori festiva - See more at: http://www.kantipur-video.com/videos/aoi-sano-hikari-song-gift-in-nepal/#sthash.IHcpNhkM.dpuf
