On HK
While I am an artist and do not engage in politics, I am concerned about Hong Kong and what happens in that beautiful place. It is my hope that all parties can engage in peaceful exchanges to develop a peaceful, inclusive and better Hong Kong for the current and future generations. I believe that is what everyone wants. I hope that the government and people will focus on communicating rationally to achieve that future.
It is my experience and observation from traveling to many places that coercion, disrespect and violence are not constructive and they undermine rational solutions and a pathway forward. People everywhere care about what happens to Hong Kong and we hope that patience, tolerance and the best characteristics of humanity will be able to prevail.
關於香港
雖然我是一名藝術家而且不參與政治，但我關注香港這個美麗的地方所發生的事。我希望各方能夠和平交流，為香港市民與子孫後代打造一個和平、包容的、更美好的香港，而我也相信這是每個人所期待的。我也希望政府和人民能夠為了實現這樣的未來，專注於理性溝通與交流。
從我旅行世界各地的經驗和觀察出發，我認為任何脅迫、不尊重與暴力的手段不但不具有建設性，而且破壞了朝向理性解決方案前進的道路。世界各地的人都關心香港所發生的事，而我們都希望耐心、寬容和人性的良善能夠在最後得到彰顯。
On Xinjiang
While I am an artist and do not engage in politics, and while I have never visited China’s northwest regions, I have visited Pakistan and other beautiful places where Islam has made great cultural and social contributions. My travels to Lebanon, Turkey, Tunisia and Pakistan have shown me that tolerance and appreciation of diversity in all respects, when exercised with gentleness and humanity in a balanced manner have benefited all communities.
While I am not at all familiar with or an expert on the history and complexities of the region, I do know from my own global experiences of bridging the world with music and art that violence, hate and ignorance are not part of an inclusive future. From my work in music and art across the globe, we try to focus on the shared commonalities which make humans different from other beings.
History teaches us that everyone prospers with tolerance of different religions, lifestyles, values and ways of life. The rulers who ruled tolerantly and diversely are remembered most fondly by history as their societies and people benefited the most in all respects. So many societies were multi-ethnic, multi-religious and prosperous societies. The lessons of these societies should be re-examined. The long history of exchanges between the Islamic and Chinese worlds has roots in maritime and land travel, trade, medicine, science, education and many other fields since before the Tang dynasty.
The Han dynasty traded with Rome. The Tang and later dynasty Chinese fleets traded with Hormuz and points beyond. All the land empires after the Tang including the Yuan, Ming and Qing were active in central Asia in various capacities and developed full ranges of modus vivendi that worked for everyone. These exchanges changed the world for the better since ancient times and blossomed during the 700’s and the Mongol periods with direct land and sea routes.
All this delivered peace and prosperity to all without violence or harm. As China grows the Belt and Road and builds a new and peaceful world, I am confident that wise leaders and decision-makers will insure that everyone can be included in a fair and respectful manner.
This is the common hope and dream of all people as promised by China’s leaders.
For us as artistic and cultural workers, we believe that music and art can be a way to bridge across the distances and that music need not just be separate moments in time but an entire movement to connect and heal the world.
關於新疆
雖然我是一名不參與政治的藝術家，且我從未訪問過中國的西北地區，但我曾到訪過巴基斯坦和其他與伊斯蘭文化有深厚淵源的美麗地方。我在黎巴嫩、土耳其、突尼西亞和巴基斯坦的旅行經驗也向我證明了，在溫和與平和的人性的幫助下，表達對各方的包容與對多元性的欣賞最能夠對為所有社群的人民帶來幫助。
雖然我對該地區的歷史和復雜性並不是那麼的熟悉，但從我來自各地透過音樂與藝術連結世界的經驗中我明白，暴力、仇恨和無知並無法打造一個具有包容性的未來。我在音樂和藝術領域的工作更是要讓人們關注到我們的共性，這也是區別人類與其他生物的地方。
歷史告訴我們，當我們對不同宗教、生活方式以及生命價值觀都能展現包容時，所有人才會實現共贏。在歷史上最受愛戴的，是將寬容與尊重多樣納入治理考量的統治者，因為他的社會與人民都能從中獲益良多。許許多多的繁榮的社會在民族和宗教上都是多元的，而我們也應該重新思考能夠從這些社會裡學到的經驗。中國與伊斯蘭文化交流悠久的歷史源自唐代以來的海陸旅遊、貿易、醫學、科學、教育等諸多領域。
漢代中國就已經與羅馬通商。唐朝與之後曆朝歷代，中國的船隊都曾與霍爾木茲海峽以西的地區通商。唐代以後，包含元代、明代和清代的大陸帝國都曾以各種身份在中亞地區活躍，且為所有人發展了服務於所有人的權宜之計。這樣的交流自古以來都在促進著世界的進步，更在公元八世紀和蒙古帝國時期，通過直接的海路與陸路更上一層樓。
這一切都有助於同所有人傳遞和平與繁榮，保護其免受暴力與傷害。隨著中國一帶一路的發展與其對於建設一個和平新世界的展望，我确信中国富有智慧的領導人和決策者将以公平與尊重的態度包容接納所有人。
這是中國領導人的承諾，也是所有人共同的希望與夢想。
對於我們這些藝術家和文化工作者而言，我們確信音樂和藝術能夠跨越距離、架設橋樑。音樂不僅僅是煙雲過眼，更是連接和療愈世界的一種運動。