User:Jean-Marie Benjamin

The Rev. Jean-Marie Benjamin is a priest who once worked as an assistant to the Vatican secretary of state and became an activist for lifting Iraqi sanctions prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Catholic priest.
Composer, Conductor.
Writer Member of the "Société des Gens de Lettres de France.
Former United Nations staff member, UNICEF "Special Events Officer", Geneva Office.
Assistant of the Cardinal Agostino Casaroli (1991-1995).
Humanitarian activities for Iraq.

Of French Nationality, born in Salon de Provence in April 1946, resides in Italy since 1974. Composer and director, has a degree in classical guitar, plays the piano and electronic keyboard. Author of numerous classical and modern compositions, since 1966 he recorded 28 records (classical music, music for films, disco and pop music).

He is the author of the official “UNICEF Hymn”, created in Rome in April 1984 (orchestra and choir from RAI) during a live Eurovision broadcast . '''Paul Mc Cartney'''[1] has recorded a CD “The Family way” with the Benjamin composition "Ode to the child". He recorded arrangements and composed for singers in France, Italy, Holland, Germany, England (1973-1988). Composed music for films “La Bible” by Marcel Carné, “Servante et Maîtresse” by Bruno Gantillon, “Padre Pio: The night of the Prophet” and for documentary films. 2009-2010 hi composed the music for the Gerry Straub film (Los Angeles) « The Loneliness & Longing of St. Francis of Assisi ».

In mars 2010, publication of his new CD album « Iraq Backstage », music, instruments and voice (in Italian) by Benjamin. The CD will be distributed by CD BABY, iTunes, Amazone and others.

Some of his compositions of classical music: An oratorio “La creation des Anges” for soloists, mixed choir, male’s choir and orchestra, Opera of Madrid (1975), Rome RAIUNO television (1984); Symphony Jerusalem, Paris, (1972) performed by the orchestra of Salle Pleyel; Concerto for violoncello and orchestra (Geneva); “Salve Regina” for choir and strings, Rome (1994).

From 1983 to 1988 he served as “Special Events Officer” for UNICEF in Geneva and organized many television programmes in Europe, Japan with the participation of Peter Ustinov, Audrey Hepburn and others. In 1986 he created the “World Philharmonic Orchestra” with Marc Verriere, the orchestra is comprised of soloists from 120 orchestras from 60 countries. (concerts in Tokyo, Oslo for the Nobel Prize, Rio de Janeiro, Montreal).

He realized and produced the film “Padre Pio: The night of the Prophet” (fiction with Sergio Fiorentini in the role of Padre Pio). The film was broadcast by RAI Italian TV on 27 April and 25 May 1999). It was also broadcast by EWTN TV U.S.A., as well as the DVD distributed.

In 1988, he ended his activities for the United Nations and his artistic activities to devote himself to theological studies in Rome. He is ordained priest on 26 October 1991. From 1991 to 1994 he is assistant to Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, (Secretary of State to the Vatican) and accompanies the Cardinal on his missions in Europe and throughout the world. In 1992 he is appointed Secretary General of the Foundation Beato Angelico.

From 1998 until now he devotes his activities and important work to denounce the effects of the embargo on the Iraqi population and of the contamination of Depleted Uranium. (books, films, conferences, interventions at the United Nations). See bellow the biography of his Iraqi Activities.

He published 9 books in Italy, France and Switzerland.

In 1993 he presented a play, written by him, on St Francis of Assisi at the Soviet Theater of the Kremlin in Moscow, interpreted in Russian and broadcast on the national television.

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The Rev. Jean-Marie Benjamin is a priest who once worked as an assistant to the Vatican secretary of state and became an activist for lifting Iraqi sanctions prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Catholic priest.
Composer, Conductor.
Writer Member of the "Société des Gens de Lettres de France.
Former United Nations staff member, UNICEF "Special Events Officer", Geneva Office.
Assistant of the Cardinal Agostino Casaroli (1991-1995).
Humanitarian activities for Iraq.

Of French Nationality, born in Salon de Provence in April 1946, resides in Italy since 1974. Composer and director, has a degree in classical guitar, plays the piano and electronic keyboard. Author of numerous classical and modern compositions, since 1966 he recorded 28 records (classical music, music for films, disco and pop music).

He is the author of the official “UNICEF Hymn”, created in Rome in April 1984 (orchestra and choir from RAI) during a live Eurovision broadcast . '''Paul Mc Cartney'''[2] has recorded a CD “The Family way” with the Benjamin composition "Ode to the child". He recorded arrangements and composed for singers in France, Italy, Holland, Germany, England (1973-1988). Composed music for films “La Bible” by Marcel Carné, “Servante et Maîtresse” by Bruno Gantillon, “Padre Pio: The night of the Prophet” and for documentary films. 2009-2010 hi composed the music for the Gerry Straub film (Los Angeles) « The Loneliness & Longing of St. Francis of Assisi ».

In mars 2010, publication of his new CD album « Iraq Backstage », music, instruments and voice (in Italian) by Benjamin. The CD will be distributed by CD BABY, iTunes, Amazone and others.

Some of his compositions of classical music: An oratorio “La creation des Anges” for soloists, mixed choir, male’s choir and orchestra, Opera of Madrid (1975), Rome RAIUNO television (1984); Symphony Jerusalem, Paris, (1972) performed by the orchestra of Salle Pleyel; Concerto for violoncello and orchestra (Geneva); “Salve Regina” for choir and strings, Rome (1994).

From 1983 to 1988 he served as “Special Events Officer” for UNICEF in Geneva and organized many television programmes in Europe, Japan with the participation of Peter Ustinov, Audrey Hepburn and others. In 1986 he created the “World Philharmonic Orchestra” with Marc Verriere, the orchestra is comprised of soloists from 120 orchestras from 60 countries. (concerts in Tokyo, Oslo for the Nobel Prize, Rio de Janeiro, Montreal).

He realized and produced the film “Padre Pio: The night of the Prophet” (fiction with Sergio Fiorentini in the role of Padre Pio). The film was broadcast by RAI Italian TV on 27 April and 25 May 1999). It was also broadcast by EWTN TV U.S.A., as well as the DVD distributed.

In 1988, he ended his activities for the United Nations and his artistic activities to devote himself to theological studies in Rome. He is ordained priest on 26 October 1991. From 1991 to 1994 he is assistant to Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, (Secretary of State to the Vatican) and accompanies the Cardinal on his missions in Europe and throughout the world. In 1992 he is appointed Secretary General of the Foundation Beato Angelico.

From 1998 until now he devotes his activities and important work to denounce the effects of the embargo on the Iraqi population and of the contamination of Depleted Uranium. (books, films, conferences, interventions at the United Nations). See bellow the biography of his Iraqi Activities.

He published 9 books in Italy, France and Switzerland.

In 1993 he presented a play, written by him, on St Francis of Assisi at the Soviet Theater of the Kremlin in Moscow, interpreted in Russian and broadcast on the national television.

== IRAQ ACTIVITIES

Jean-Marie Benjamin visited IRAQ for the first time in April 1998 to produce a documentary film entitled “Iraq: The Birth of Time”. In the south of Iraq he discovers the effects of the radioactive contamination on the Iraqi population, due to the weapons containing depleted uranium used by the Anglo-American forces during the Golf war in 1991. Back in Italy, he decides to dedicate his work to make the public aware of the tragic situation of the Iraqi people already suffering from the embargo imposed by the UN.

From 1998 to 2003 he travels every three months to Baghdad to gather documentation and from 1998 to 2003 he publishes three books and produces three documentaries. In 1999, he contacts the Italian Parliament concerning the question of depleted uranium and obtains from the Commission of Foreign Affairs of the Parliament the vote for a Resolution to constitute an inquiry commission.

From 1999 to 2002 he participated several times at various Sessions of the Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

On 3 April 2000, he organizes a flight in a small airplane from Amman to Baghdad on board the Italian parliamentarian Vittorio Sgarbi, the businessman Nicola Grauso and the pilot Nicola Trifoni. The first flight to Baghdad in violation of the embargo. Jean-Marie Benjamin has participated in numerous conferences on Iraq throughout Europe and Canada.

February 2003 - He invited the Iraqi Vice prime minister Tareq Aziz to Italy (13-16 Feb.03). He organized the audience with the Pope John-Paul II (13 and 15 January) and the visit in Assisi to launch an appeal for Peace.

November 2002 – the second edition of his book “Obiettivo Iraq: nel mirino di Washington” is published, (Editori Riuniti), with a DVD of the video clip “Mr. President, a song written, composed and sang by the author.

October 2001 - he produced a new documentary entitled “Iraq: the hidden file”. This film is built around an interview/colloquium with the Iraqi Vice Prime Minister, Tareq Aziz, and contains six important files relating to violations of international law towards Iraq.
The six sequences are: Iraq before the Gulf War, depleted uranium contamination, UNSCOM, UNCC, no fly zone and Christians and Muslims in Iraq.

1 December 2000 - he co-organized a flight Paris-Baghdad with 118 personalities on board from France, Italy, Switzerland, Holland and Great Britain. Passengers came from all walks of life including politics (parliamentarians, senators, ambassadors), culture, religion, international organizations, non-governmental organisations, artists and news reporters.

29 November 2000 - he gave a speech about Iraq to the House of Commons in London.

3 April 2000 - he flew from Amman to Baghdad (with Vittorio Sgarbi, Nicola Grauso and the pilot Nicola Trifoni) in violation of the embargo.

July 1999 - he presented a report to the Italian Chamber of Deputies which led to questions in parliament in July 2000 with a large majority vote requesting the Italian government to re-establish diplomatic relations with Iraq and to intervene with the UN for the lifting of the embargo.

September 1999 - he published the first book that denounced the use of Depleted Uranium by the Anglo-American force during the Golf War "Iraq: l'apocalypse" (Editions Favre, Lausanne, Italy: Edizioni Andromeda, Bologna).

December 1998 - he was in Baghdad during the bombing and, after an international enquiry, made a new documentary entitled: "Iraq: journey to the forbidden kingdom" dedicated to the living conditions of the Iraqi population and the impact of radioactive contamination on the population and the environment due to the use of weapons containing depleted uranium.

April 1998 - crossing Iraq with a camera crew (covering over 3000 kilometres), he produced a documentary entitled "Iraq: the birth of time" (RAI UNO).

Jean-Marie Benjamin Web site: www.jmbenjamin.org [3] (English-Français-Italiano)

Category:French Roman Catholic priests Category:Living people