Snow Patrol man part of Sudan initiative

Snow Patrol’s Jonny Quinn is one of the supestar sticksmen who’ve come together to create a global ‘Beat For Peace’ for Sudan.
The campaign and accompanying film are the brainchild of Faithless drummer Jamie Catto who’s also persuaded The Police’s Stewart Copeland, Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, Radiohead’s Phil Selway and African percussionists Yehia Khalil and Mustapha Tettey Addy to come on board.
Beat For Peace’s launch coincides with the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which halted Sudan’s five-year civil war.
The situation in the country remains highly volatile though, with militias still armed and threatening violence in the run up to the January 9 2011 referendum to determine the country’s future.
“It’s incredibly exciting,” Catto enthuses. “Thousands of drummers from across five continents have come together to create a global beat for peace in Sudan. This global drumbeat is a cry for positive action from world leaders to prevent conflict from returning.”
His enthusiasm is shared by Phil Selway who adds: “I wanted to be involved in this project because I think music is such a powerful way of bringing people together. Of course, I’m biased in thinking that what’s underpinning it all is always the beat – always drummers! Hopefully this film will show that together people can make a huge noise and through it I hope people’s focus will be brought back to what is happening in the Sudan over this very important this year.”
The film features a drum beat for peace starting in Sudan and being picked up and passed on like a baton between drummers in over 15 countries including Brazil, Mexico, the US, UK, France, Spain, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana, Egypt, Mali, UAE, Japan, Russia and Australia.
For more info see www.sudan365.org.