FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Diane Marangoly
Public Relations Specialist
PER|SWAY
P: 416.619.7805
E: diane.marangoly@persway.ca

Inaugural Silenced Concert Series To Benefit Youth Initiatives Silencing Youth Violence And Influencing Positive Change

(Toronto, ON, January 26, 2009) - Silenced (silencedevents.com) a series of benefit concerts designed to raise awareness about youth issues and violence in Canada announces its official launch. Forming partnerships with the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces(TM) Foundation (www.futureaces.org) and Urban Non-violent Initiatives Through Youth (UNITY) (www.unitycharity.com), the first concert of the series will be in Toronto's own Phoenix Concert Theater on Thursday, February 19th, 2009.

Organized by MSR Event Solutions, attendees of February's concert will enjoy indie rock/alternative performances by Canadian music artists: Monday Rose , Basia Lyjak, Captive Groove, and Sixes and Sevens. Each Silenced benefit concert will feature a different genre of music to reach out to the diversity of youth in need of positivism and change. Proceeds raised from ticket sales will benefit organizations that help youth raise their self-confidence and self-respect, resulting in positive lifestyle choices and a reduction in youth violence.

According to Statistics Canada, in the 10 years between 1997 and 2006, the overall violent crime rate in Canada declined 4%. However, the violent crime rate among youth rose by 12% during the same 10 years and has climbed 30% since 1991. "Youth violence is preventable, even with the numbers being so high," states Mitch Reiss, CEO & President of MSR Event Solutions. "With music being an extremely versatile and powerful medium of communication, we felt it was only fitting to host a series of concerts that would attract youth interest, and in turn spread the message of promoting positive behaviour while benefiting initiatives that will empower our communities."

Urban Non-violent Initiatives Through Youth (UNITY):

UNITY is a youth led and artist driven charity that teaches youth to use positive artistic expression to make positive life choices, making our communities stronger and safer. Our goal is to empower youth to become community leaders and inspirational performers in their communities and schools to inspire positive change. __

Our Program:

Through our inspirational performance assemblies and follow up artistic development workshops UNITY provides positive artistic outlets for youth to express themselves instead of expressing themselves through violence, drug use, stereotyping, bullying and other negative forms of self-expression. We use POSITIVE Hip-Hop and related creative outlets to truly engage youth and tell real stories that other youth can identify with. This in turn, increases mutual understanding among youth on relevant community issues.

Herbert H. Carnegie Future AcesĒ Foundation:
The Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation (www.futureaces.org) is a registered, charitable organization established in 1987 to address the interpersonal challenges facing youth today. Our projects respond to the growing and serious need for the development of confidence, esteem and leadership in youth. The lack of these traits in young people can result in negative and anti-social behaviours, such as racism and violence.

The Future Aces Philosophy is designed to help youth develop the self-knowledge and self-confidence that will enable them to take control of their lives and to use their abilities in a positive way. It provides a model for behaviour based on teachable skills with a meaningful message to encourage responsible citizenship.

For more than 20 years Future Aces Team has been working to instil these characteristics in youth across the Greater Toronto Area, and all over Ontario. Our initiatives include character and motivational in-school presentations for K-12, an annual weekend leadership conference, scholarships and the Future Aces Positive Ticketing programme. Join us in silencing youth violence in Toronto.

MSR Event Solutions:
MSR Event Solutions is a full-service event production company currently dedicated to working for the benefit of socially conscious causes. Founded by George Brown School of Hospitality graduate Mitch S. Reiss, this youthful and dynamic organization seeks to bring charities, artists and patrons together for the promotion of mutual goals in the community with flare, style and entertainment.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please call Diane Marangoly at: (416) 619-7805 or e-mail: diane.marangoly@persway.ca

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