Organizers of the 11th annual ‘Tree of Life’ Conference being held today have today that Roger Waters, co-founder of the globally successful rock band ‘Pink Floyd,’ has accepted an invitation to attend the event at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme (FCCOL) this afternoon.
Waters is expected to participate in a discussion around 3 p.m. with the distinguished Israeli journalist, Gideon Levy. The discussion is intended to explore the personal views of both Waters and Levy on the Israel-Palestine situation and its solution. It is also hoped that Waters will also make a musical contribution during the event but details on its timing and content are still being finalized.
Waters, who has had a remarkable career as a vocalist, songwriter and musician spanning more than 50 years, has been outspoken about Middle Eastern politics and is a fierce proponent of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Perhaps best known for writing the lyrics for “Dark Side of the Moon,” which was released in 1973 and is widely regarded as one of the most commercially successful rock albums of all time, Waters has become a powerful voice in the quest to urge musicians not to perform in Israel in response to that country’s continued occupation of Palestine.