Mary Bartolucci is one of more than two dozen V.I. residents who are volunteering to produce "Bringing Peace to Paradise," a daylong family-oriented festival on Sunday, Oct. 8, featuring some of the Virgin Islands' best-loved rock, reggae, jazz and calypso bands.
"The Virgin Islands is a small and caring community and I know we can make an impact," says Bartolucci. "As someone who has embraced the Virgin Islands as my home — where the appeal in many ways was that it felt so peaceful here – I'm troubled by the increasing violence we see and want to contribute to finding a solution."
Proceeds from "Bringing Peace to Paradise," which will also include gospel choirs, dance troupes, and mocko jumbies, will benefit the Stop the Violence Project, which is committed to eliminating violent crime in the Virgin Islands.
Stop the Violence Project was spurred by two devastating shootings recently on St. Thomas. 19-year-old Geoff Kennedy, a resident of Tortola who was visiting Charlotte Amalie to take his General Equivalency Diploma test, was shot in the back while trying to flee an armed assailant. Kennedy is now paralyzed from the waist down.
The second tragedy occurred almost a month later when 19-yearold Jason Carroll, a St. Thomas native, was shot and killed in midday in the heart of Charlotte Amalie.
Celia Carroll, Jason's mother and president of Mothers Against Guns, is one of the volunteers for "Bringing Peace to Paradise." The festival is just the beginning, she says, of raising awareness about violence on the islands and unifying the community. "What can we do," she says, "to make this community better for all of us? It's time that all united as a community and as human beings."
"Bringing Peace to Paradise" is being organized under the auspices of the People Moving Forward Foundation—a not-for-profit humanitarian organization—and will also feature gourmet picnic fare provided by restaurants from St. Thomas and St. John, and a children's arena with painted hand puppets, face-painting, a gigantic game of "Twister" and more. In addition, regional artisans will be on hand creating and selling handicrafts.
The main attraction of "Bringing Peace to Paradise," however, will be its musical performances. Taking place continuously on two stages, musical acts will include Deep Unda Kova, Innervisions, Barry and the Wizegize, the Freddie Rabuse Trio and the Love City Pan Dragons. In addition, there will be a half-dozen gospel choir performances from churches from both islands.
"Bringing Peace to Paradise" will take place from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Coral Bay Ball Field in Coral Bay, St. John. Tickets are $10 for adults. Children under 12 are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance on St. Thomas at Modern Music (Nisky Center and Havensight) and on St. John at Connections in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay. Tickets will be available at the gate as well.
