Mr. Sean Samad, Programme Manager of the COTT Foundation recently announced that the Foundation has entered into a partnership with Alliance Française T&T to stage the 2009 Fête de la Musique T&T. 

The French Ministry of Culture launched the Fête de la Musique in 1982. Fête de la Musique is held in more than one hundred countries in Europe and all over the world. It takes place every June 21st, the traditional day of the summer solstice in the Northern hemisphere. It is also known as World Music Day. 

Thanks to the impulse and the dynamism of the French cultural network abroad (such as the French Embassies, and the Alliance Française) the Fête has had important international growth. Indeed, a lot of events are now set up by or in collaboration with local organisers such as the COTT Foundation.

This international event, dedicated to every genre of music and especially live music is really unique. The French cultural institutions around the world initiated the celebrations abroad, taking care of each country's cultural uniqueness. All the concerts must be free to the public. Nowadays, "Fête de la Musique" joins together the persons involved in the event in more than 120 countries and 250 cities more or less simultaneously. This celebration allows the expression of all styles of music in a cheerful atmosphere. It aims at a large audience, working to popularise musical practice for young and not so young people from all social backgrounds. 

The COTT Foundation, the philanthropic arm of COTT, will facilitate the staging of this very important cultural event for the first time in 2009. The Foundation undertook to source a range of up and coming, young artistes from among the membership of creators of music in different genres registered with COTT. In exchange for their efforts, Alliance Française has granted annual scholarships to these indigenous artistes/music creators to study French locally. Sean Samad, Programme Manager for the Foundation said, "This is a great opportunity to showcase the wealth of new talent, which Trinidad and Tobago's diverse ethnic and cultural mix is capable of producing while linking it to education and development for our music community." This year's Fête de la Musique programme, which will take place on Sunday June 21st, 2009 at Boy Scouts Headquarters in St. Ann's will feature Russell Leonce, Collis Duranty, Micheline Ferreira, Shakeela, Kepha Yahseph and Lyndon Lai Tan. The more established performers on the programme will be 3Canal, Mungal Patasar and Pantar, Fireball, Jason "Fridge" Seecharan of H2OPHLO and Tim Starr of Spotrushaz. This year's festival promises to be very exciting, interactive and fun filled. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and give their support to our local talent by coming out in their numbers. Admission is FREE.

For further information feel free to contact Sean Samad, Programme Manager, COTT Foundation ssamad@cottfoundation.org or 624-2688 ext 2006