The Righteous Invasion of Truth (the RIOT) is set to host an inspirational concert on Republic Day to the theme “Love over Violence,” which will be headlined by Jamaican Christian artiste Papa San.
Other performers will include Samuel Medas, Rondel Disi Holder, Solid Youth, Christina Holder, Seon Fraser and Jason Beaton.
The RIOT is a group born out of the Kaneville Full Gospel Church, which is pastored by Kwame Wilson. At a media briefing on Thursday, Wilson revealed that the idea for this year’s concert was birthed out of a personal experience last year that ended in a murder/suicide. The encounter that he had with one of the victims just hours prior to the fatal event, he explained, was particularly troubling to him as neither he, nor the other members of the church had recognised any sign of what was to occur.
Love over Violence, therefore, seeks to create “an environment in which the abused and the abuser can start a conversation.” It will be hosted with the support of several government and non-governmental entities, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association, Help and Shelter, and the Guyana Police Force.
It is hoped that the concert, through presentations and testimony, will create a platform for those who have been victims and perpetrators of abuse to speak out.
The concert will be held on February 23rd at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall tarmac, beginning at 5 pm, but being a family event, rides and other activities will be made available from 3 pm. While regular tickets are $1,500, early bird tickets were being sold for $1,000. Patrons will be made to pay $2,000 at the gate.
On February 22nd, at 5 pm, the RIOT, in collaboration with Music Unlimited, will host a music workshop at the National School of Music, located at Brickdam and College Road.
Music Unlimited’s CEO Christian Sobers said that participants will have the opportunity to meet and learn about the music business and interact with the artistes that are slated to perform at the concert.
Also on board with the event are Travel Span, iRide and Eastern Airlines. CEO of iRide Melissa Davy expressed excitement at the collaboration, stating that the company, being one that is family-oriented, is fully on board with supporting this family event. Ewart Sampson, the Marketing Manager of Eastern Airlines, asserted the need to send out a strong message against domestic violence to Guyanese.
