Passport to Understanding is a participatory program of hands-on cultural museum presentations, on-going classes, workshops, lecture-demonstrations, performances and concerts designed to promote cross-cultural understanding and respect. Offered both on-site at the GLOBAL EDUCATION CENTER and in area schools, the Center staff partners with its teaching and performing artists from diverse cultures to use the arts as a pathway to understanding the various cultural, ethnic and religious groups residing in our community. The overall goal of Passport to Understanding is to highlight the commonalties of all people while creating experiences in the arts that aid in dispelling myths, dismantling stereotypes and unlearning biases. Offerings for schools include:

Interactive Cultural Museum Presentations

Schools may choose from the following cultures:

Concerts for Schools Groups
2009-2010 Schedule

December 4, 2009 - Festivals of Light - 10:00 am at Cohn Adult Learning Center Join local performers as they share the diverse traditions of Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Advent Las Posadas, Divali and Ramadan.
Made possible with support from The Nissan Foundation.

April 23, 2010 - Between Earth and Sky - 10:00 am - Nashville Downtown Library
Join beloved Native American poet Joy Harjo as she reads her writings and shares her experience as a published author who reflects her heritage through her work. (FREE)
Made possible with support from Humanities Tennessee, an affiliate of National Endowment for Humanities; Southern Arts Federation and Tennessee Arts Commission through a partnership with National Endowment for the Arts; The Nissan Foundation; Nashville Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Library; Voices from Our America; and Logos Rhythms.

April 23, 2010 - Kenichi Ebina New Moves
1:00 pm at Cohn Adult Learning Center
Kenichi Ebina and his dance company stretch the possibilities of movement through a blend of mime, hip hop and Japanese culture
Made possible with support from Tennessee Arts Commission and Southern Arts Federation through a partnershiph with National Endowment for the Arts and The Nissan Foundation.

All school concert fees are $3/student ($2/student - member schools)

Assembly Performances

Performing artists from a wide range of cultures are available for in-school performances. Most performances range from forty-five minutes to one hour and have an interactive component. Consult our directory of artists. Most popular assemblies are:

Rhythm Rap - Drumming from around the World

Rhythms of the Islands - Music and dance from Polynesia and The Caribbean Islands

Rhythms of Life - International Smorgasboard of Music and Dance

The Spirit of Native America - An intimate view of music, dance and art with Gary Cady

The Bosch Institute - A creative collaboration between poet Thandiwe Shiphrah and musician Daniel Arite in which they create innovative audio collages of music and spoken word

Jataka Tales and More - A dance journey through morality tales from the Buddhist tradition that apply to all cultures featuring Monica Cooley.

Assembly fees vary depending on number of artists and number of performances.

Special guest artists are available for school programs on a limited basis while in residence at Global Education Center.