The renowned Chinese-American cellist Yo-Yo Ma offered a free concert on Saturday in the Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo, bordering the United States, in which he claimed culture to build bridges and not walls. “
Yo-Yo Ma came a few meters from the international bridge of Nuevo Laredo to interpret some of the “Suites” by Johann Sebastian Bach as part of the project with which he aims to boost the ability of music to speak of a common humanity.
This “at a time when civic conversation often focuses on division,” said the cellist born in France 63 years ago.
“I have lived my life between borders, between cultures and between generations, now is the time to make a first action, I’m going to put some ideas,” said the cellist before starting the concert held in the street where the border between the United States and Mexico.
In clear reference to the demand of the US president, Donald Trump, to convert Mexico into a temporary shelter for Central American migrants seeking asylum in the United States, the artist asserted that Mexico “is not a hotel and is not at its maximum capacity. “
“We always look for truth and understanding, President (Abraham) Lincoln said that the government belongs to the people for the people and for the people, live the two Laredos,” he said from the Mexican Nuevo Laredo, bordering the US Laredo.
“In the culture we always seek to build bridges and not walls,” concluded Yo-Yo Ma.
At the end of his interpretation of Bach, the cellist requested permission to perform a piece by the Catalan musician Pau Casals (1876-1973) dedicated to freedom.
The cellist claimed that freedom is an inviolable right of human beings and even animals.
He also pointed out the birds that were in the trees and celebrated the freedom they have to fly where they want, a right that all men and women in the world should enjoy, he said.
Yo-Yo Ma started his activities in Nuevo Laredo with a talk with young creators and gave a short class to musicians in the city.
With the Bach Project, Yo-Yo Ma aims to celebrate its six decades as a musician and carry out actions in favor of coexistence and against division in 36 cities around the world.
