Organizers of the International Jazz Festival recently announced that the music event has been postponed, just 2 months before the opening of the event. The reason given was an increase in gang activity in Port-au-Prince.
"We can't take the risk, either for the 150 musicians or for our teams or for the public," said Milena Sandler, director of the Haiti Jazz Foundation which organizes the festival.
Sandler added, "We have been thinking for a while now that it would be difficult…to stage a festive event in this context."
"We considered a large number of possibilities, but none was satisfactory to ensure the safety of all participants," explains Milena Sandler.
The festival, usually held in January, brings together musicians from more than 12 countries every year.