Dec. 12 -“The greatest orchestra” consists of 500 children from the complex of Dassa, Benin, forced for ten or more hours a day to use their hammers and split granite for the construction of bricks. There are hundreds of children, aged 2 years and over, breaking stones to earn €2 per week and help their families eat. Marco Ligabue has chosen to put the spotlight on this drama in “La Più Grande Orchestra,” the new video from “Mare Dentro,” the debut album by the Correggio artist released on Sept. 10. The Emilia singer devotes to these children his fourth single from his first studio album. The video, directed by Mario Piredda and available on YouTube, opens with the poignant images of the small community in Dassa. Until 11 January 2014, after exactly one month of being online, for each view received the video will donate €0.01 to these children via the Buona Nascita Onlus Association. The Italian organization, chaired by prof. Giuseppe Masellis, is committed to the protection of motherhood and childhood, and has been working in favor of child miners in Dassa to allow them to move away from hard work and go to school, promoting the self-determination of the families. A project supported with enthusiasm by some institutional partners, including the City of Quistello (Mn) and the City of Ostuni (Be). One million clicks on the YouTube video could help bring an entire village to school. “When I saw the pictures of the children of Benin in those conditions – Marco Ligabue writes on his Facebook page – I was shocked. I immediately had the desire to do something. That’s why “La Più Grande Orchestra” is the project it is today: music certainly cannot change the world, but it can help raise awareness and play a practical role too.”
