Planina to Georgia: Local Choir Travel & Learn

HELP PLANINA TRAVEL TO THE COUNTRY OF GEORGIA THIS SUMMER!

"Planina - Songs of Eastern Europe (https://www.planina.org/) is excited to be planning a group study trip to Georgia, situated at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

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FUNDRAISING UPDATE 6/24/23 - LAST CALL FOR DONATIONS

Thanks to all of you who attended our June 3rd fundraiser concert, we raised $1567.50 that night! As of 6/24/23, we have received $1175 in GoFundMe donations and $630 in other donations, bringing our funds raised to a total of $3372.50. For all who have already given, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

This means we still have $1627.50 to go to unlock the full matching donation of $5000 offered by a very generous donor.

Most of us are leaving on July 7 to meet in Tbilisi on July 9. Read about our trip here.

If you haven’t donated yet and would like to help, this is the time to do it! All members who are traveling are investing significantly from our own funds for the travel to Georgia, but we are hoping to cover most of our group expenses once in the country. No donation is too small! Thank you!

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In a time of profound geopolitical unrest, war and chaos, we find meaning and hope in learning traditional music, and we believe in the value of bringing this music back to our audiences in Colorado.

Over the years we have made three group trips to study music in Bulgaria, the most recent one in 2018. Each time we have returned with new treasured songs, amazing memories and increased cohesion as a group.

Now we have the opportunity to journey to the ancient country of Georgia to study with teachers from three distinct regions and remote mountain villages, in communities that have preserved their musical traditions for generations. We will be bringing back a treasure in our voices, having learned from the elders in these communities.

A portion of our funds gathered here will be gifted directly to the faculty of the institute who currently reside and work in Georgia, to help offer some relief to those forced out of Ukraine due to ongoing war.

TRIP ORGANIZERS: UKRAINIAN INSTITUTE OF LANGUAGE AND CULTURE STUDIES – NOVAMOVA

This trip has been in planning using a few short hours of electricity and internet available on a sporadic basis from Kyiv, Ukraine, since January 2023 by the founder of the NovaMova Institue, Gela Turabelidze and their Georgian partners. We are deeply thankful for the work of those impacted by war who tirelessly helped put things in place while experiencing the profound limitations and consequences of war.

Planina’s journey to Georgia will provide an opportunity for NovaMova Institute (https://novamova.net/) to continue working even in these dramatic conditions and offer critical work opportunity to this organization.

WILL YOU HELP US GET THERE?

Although the in-country costs are low compared to those in some other countries we’d love to study in, they are still significant for us. Overseas travel costs are likewise considerable.

At a time when there is so much need in the world, it is awkward to ask for funds for a venture of this nature when we ourselves have homes and enough to eat. Yet we are serious about learning traditional music and presenting it well to our audiences, and we do need help to make this trip a reality.

Please consider making a donation today! Planina is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, so donations that involve the number 35 ($35, $20.35, $135.35, you get the idea) are particularly welcome.

OTHER WAYS TO HELP:

• Attend our fundraising concert, Beautiful as the Full Moon, on the evening of June 3 in Miller Hall at First Baptist Church in Denver, 1575 Grant Street, just across from the State Capitol: https://vw.ticketleap.com/fullmoon/

• If you prefer to donate with a check, please go to the Donate page on our website for instructions: https://www.planina.org/donations