Dear community

It is with deep regret that Professor André de Quadros (artistic director) and I, together with the members of our Advisory Board and the working committee, inform you that the Inaugural Launch of the World Muslim Choral Ensemble, due to take place in Sri Lanka from 1 to 7 July 2020 has been postponed. We made our decision after weighing the risks to our artists and the larger community. Although we are devastated to have reached this decision, we feel the need for extreme caution. Indeed, travel bans and quarantines are already having a major impact worldwide. While we acknowledge that the crisis may lessen before July, we acknowledge that we are not in a position to predict, and therefore feel that we should not decide now, but instead give it as few more weeks, even a few months and then we will engage in finalizing a new date once the COVI-19 spread has been stabilized globally. In the meantime, the World Muslim Choral Ensemble will adopt a digital presence to continue a commitment to advancing the cause of dialogue and peacebuilding through Islamic music.