There are artistic projects that are not born simply to occupy a space, but to create a shared breath. Gen Verde’s mission is rooted in this constant quest: to transform music into a universal language capable of transcending prejudice and reawakening the belief that a different kind of humanity is still possible.
It is a story written on the road, where art becomes the score upon which universal fraternity is etched. Yet, the true essence of this journey lies not in the technical perfection of a performance, but rather in the glances exchanged along the way. It was the faces encountered in the world’s peripheries, the hands reaching out in the dark, and the unexpected challenges that, over time, shaped and transformed the very soul of this group, turning their music into a vehicle for profound messages to all those who cross paths with Gen Verde.
The spark of a gift: the #accorcialedistanze crowdfunding campaign
Gen Verde’s mission has often faced the barriers of limited financial resources, particularly when tour requests came from distant lands such as Africa or Latin America. This gave rise to the #accorcialedistanze crowdfunding initiative: a way to involve the audience not just as spectators, but as true fellow travelers.
The most powerful catalyst for this project came from an unexpected encounter during a tour in Germany. In a school marked by severe social marginalization, three fifteen-year-olds approached the artists, reaching out their hands: they were clutching 25 euros, everything they had. ‘We are giving you this money to carry out this project with young people who are less fortunate than us’ they said.
That gesture of pure generosity moved the group so deeply that those 25 euros became the seed of a fundraising campaign for their journey to Panama. The goal was to reach young people living in vulnerable conditions and threatened by youth gangs, offering them, through the ‘Start Now’ project, a path toward redemption and the development of cultural intelligence. L’obiettivo era quello di raggiungere i giovani che vivono in condizioni di vulnerabilità e minacciati dalle bande giovanili, offrendo loro, attraverso il progetto “Start Now”, un percorso di riscatto e di sviluppo dell’intelligenza culturale.
Beyond the bars: the freedom of love in Panama
And it was that very crowdfunding campaign that made our long-awaited journey to Panama possible.
Traveling to Panama in January 2019 marked another indelible chapter in the group’s history. On the occasion of World Youth Day, Gen Verde crossed the threshold of the Panama women’s prison, meeting over 600 incarcerated women. In that place of pain and isolation, music worked a small miracle: seeing the women’s faces light up and their bodies dance beneath the stage was an experience of staggering depth.
For the ensemble, that concert was an ‘honor’, a moment of conversion where the divide between those who are free and those deprived of liberty vanished in the face of the “freedom of Love”. This powerful moment was echoed by Raisa Banfield, then Vice-Mayor of Panama City, who described the event as an encounter ‘from woman to woman, from human being to human being,’ capable of making everyone feel universal, transcending borders and physical limits.
The artists shared in the pain of these sisters, witnessing to the fact that it is always possible to start over, despite everything. It was the ultimate confirmation of the group’s mission: to dwell within existential peripheries to rediscover, together, the hope that the world can still change.
A Difficulty That Becomes an Opportunity
Not even the shadow of the global pandemic could halt this journey. Forced to abruptly cut short a tour in Spain and board the very last ship departing from Barcelona, Gen Verde suddenly found itself isolated within the walls of their home. Yet, social distancing did not turn into silence.
Asking themselves how they could remain close to those who were suffering, the group transformed the crisis into an unprecedented opportunity, embarking on the adventure of live streaming and meetings via Zoom. Despite the lack of physical contact, this new approach allowed them to reach hundreds of thousands of people in every corner of the globe, from the Philippines to Australia. During those months, new compositions and moments of profound dialogue were born, proving that universal fraternity knows no physical borders.
Today
Today, Gen Verde continues to look ahead, transforming every new challenge into a starting point for original projects. Whether on grand stages, through school workshops, or digital performances, the goal remains the same: to give a voice to the people of our time and to all those called to live out universal fraternity.
The secret to this tireless journey does not lie in a strategy for success, but in the daily choice to look beyond oneself, aiming instead to build relationships rooted in hope. As its history of over fifty years teaches us, every encounter on the road is never by chance; it is an invitation to offer the best of oneself for a world that still has an immense need to believe in the light. Gen Verde’s music does not stop, because as long as there is a bridge to be built or a heart to be reached, there will be a new song ready to be born.
If you would like to organise events, concerts and/or artistic workshops with Gen Verde, please send an e-mail to info@genverde.it with your question, info and contact details.
Discover our upcoming tour dates and join us for a live performance or workshop.
