Last day of 2016

December 31... I can't believe 2016 is now over!

It's been a dramatic year for our world, with the escalation of the war in Syria touching so many thousands of civilians, and with our evil politics in Europe / America (Brexit, Trump)... But let's never forget to look at the "collateral beauty" !

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Every year, every event is a challenge to overcome - or a lesson to learn. Let's concentrate on what we've learnt, on our emotions, on being real and authentic - and let's share more, connect, remember, take care of each other in our ever violent world. Violence is born out of indifference. If we care, if we act with solidarity, the best of ourselves manifest. It's as simple as that.

For myself, 2016 has been an extraordinary year. I spent most of the first half finishing my book (on the legendary band Massive Attack and their birthplace: Bristol, England) - and working with charities helping refugees. I travelled to Calais, to see the informal refugee camps in the North of my own country, the so-called 'Jungle', and to report about these people's journey and immense challenges... I helped organise a march for refugees in Paris then travelled to Northern Iraq, in Kurdistan to interview doctors helping displaced people around Mosul and Erbil.

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The second half of the year was the part of the blessings: I finished my text about Bristol, I spent some time in Sicily, meeting up with artists as well as farmers on the market of Trapani and fishermen... My book was finally out in October and I got to spread my message about the power of music and art to change ourselves and our world. I don't think I could be prouder of anything.

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In 2016, I also spent weeks in Bristol, obviously, in London too, went back to Milan, Italy, travelling for the sake of art, met extraordinary people, realized my most precious dream, learn so much about the world but also about myself and travelled for the first time to Northern Ireland to wrap up the year, writing about politics, post-conflict changes and, of course, art.

I want to thank you, 2016, for the beauty, the gifts, lessons and challenges you put on my road. Even the evil, strange haters, even the moments of misunderstanding. They were finally overcome.

Now, I'm just hoping 2017 would be as sweet to those in terrible pain as 2016 was to me.

Here is my choice of song for my resolution for 2017...

Björk - 'New World'

Train-whistles, a sweet clementine
Blueberries, dancers in line
Cobwebs, a bakery sign

Ooooh - a sweet clementine
Ooooh - dancers in line
Ooooh ...

If living is seeing
I'm holding my breath
In wonder - I wonder
What happens next?
A new world, a new day to see

I'm softly walking on air
Halfway to heaven from here
Sunlight unfolds in my hair

Ooooh - I'm walking on air
Ooooh - to heaven from here
Ooooh ...

If living is seeing
I'm holding my breath
In wonder - I wonder
What happens next?
A new world, a new day to see