It is a “little miracle”, as Prof. Dr. Ralf Eisenbeiß, Artistic Director of the World Choir Games 2016 reported today at the closing press conference in the Choral Olympic city of Sochi: For the first time in the history of the World Choir Games a choir from Afghanistan ventured to singing in an international competition and had travelled to Sochi for the Olympics of Choral Music.

The 17 singers of the choir “Noor-e Omid” had competed in the category “Mixed Chamber Choirs” in The Open Competition and was awarded the certificate “Successfully Participated” by the international jury. Eisenbeiß mentioned this result as a huge success for the choir, because music in Afghanistan is more or not existent. For decades singing and music was not allowed for a whole generation. “It deserves a special award that these singers have taken courage to come and sing at the World Choir Games,” said Eisenbeiß.