Musician Salif Keita to Perform Rare Acoustic Set at Lisner Auditorium in September

WASHINGTON - Aug. 11, 2014 - PRLog -- For Keita’s fans, the concert will be a rare and unique opportunity to see the legendary African star perform with a new acoustic 6- piece band playing instruments like the kora and n’goni for the first time.  The concert in Washington DC will highlight Keita’s unique tenor with a variety of songs spanning his 40-year and extensive musical repertoire.

For the philanthropist, the show will be raising awareness and funds for free healthcare for the cause of people with albinism.  Albinism is an inherited condition which causes a total loss of the melanin production in the skin, hair, and eyes, sometimes giving people with albinism pale white skin, blond hair and blue eyes, regardless of their race. Keita, who also has albinism and suffered extreme discrimination as a child, started his foundation in 2005 to help others with the condition and raise global awareness about the plight of African albinos who often die by the age 30 from skin cancers. His foundation provides free healthcare, sunscreen, hats and sunglasses to more than 6,000 persons with albinism each year.

Albinism is found all over the world. In Africa, albinism is especially devastating because of the hot temperatures, lack of access to sunscreen due to extreme poverty, lack of information about the disorder coupled with occult beliefs that albinos are born white because of a curse, as well as a lack of adequately equipped medical facilities for dermatology. In America, those with albinism are often teased and bullied for their unique appearance, yet are usually able to avoid skin cancer and live normal lives. In Mali, Keita’s native land, there are about 500 cases per year of severe skin cancer in patients with albinism. Most of these cases necessitate costly evacuations out of Mali or else the patient’s life is lost as a casualty of an environment which is hostile to their very nature and condition. Although the causes of albinism are scientifically known and the disorder affects one in 17,000 people worldwide, it is often a condition which is misunderstood globally, especially in African countries where albinos look drastically different and where illiteracy affects more than two thirds of the population in some areas.

Doors open: 6:30 pm Show starts: 7pm

Ticket prices: From $38.50-$100

Contact: skgf@salifkeita.us

To purchase online: https://www.vendini.com/ticketLine/ITL/?t=tix&e=9bdbba1fcd9ffa283350c3d5f330d8a0&theme=ticketLine25

GW Box Office Hours and Information

Tuesday – Friday 12PM to 6PM
GW Box Office
Lisner Auditorium
730 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052 /Telephone (202) 994-6800