While Damascus and Aleppo are among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, enriched by the intermingling and cross-fertilization of a thousand cultures, what is taking place under their sky is so beyond us that we are left feeling powerless. But we have the weapon of music to reveal the beauty of different civilizations, and with it, we hope to pay tribute to this country along with the women and men who built it under a star-filled sky.

For this homage, we are joined by Kinan Azmeh, an exceptional artist, composer, improviser and clarinetist, whose sound and music has always moved me to the core.