AIS Primary School Chorus Performs at International Event

By Karen Peters, AIS Primary School Chorus Director

On November 15, the AIS Primary School Chorus performed at the opening ceremony of the first “Americas Awards for Excellence in Public Service,” hosted by the Office of the Mayor and CIFAL, an international training center for government authorities and civil society leaders, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead. The audience comprised more than 200 high level government officials from all the 34 nations of the Americas. Local officials and business leaders were also present.

Dressed in international traditional costumes, the students sang in French, Spanish, and English. The songs reflected the theme for the evening, “Cantemos todos unidos”, “Tout ce que je veux – la paix”, and “Build Me a World”. The honorees for the Award for Excellence, requested to have their photo taken with the children, acknowledging the students are the leaders of the future. Axel Leblois, AIS Board member, was also present and facilitated the invitation to the chorus to perform. The chorus was inspiring and inspired by performing and being present for this special occasion.

In 2004, Ms. Peters led the AIS Primary School Chorus in performing at the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce when the opening of the Atlanta CIFAL office was first announced. CIFAL is a French acronym for “international training centre for local authorities”, a program of UNITAR, United Nations Institute for Training and Research.

UNITAR is an autonomous body within the United Nations, offering training in Atlanta to western hemisphere nations in sustainable urbanization and environment, information technology and telecommunications, and humanitarian affairs.