– Events held in over 190 countries
Paris, May 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 30, a series of unprecedented global events celebrated jazz as a universal language of freedom, as UNESCO and the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz joined forces...
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Celebrations for International Jazz Day 2015 took place in over 190 countries around the world, culminating in an All-Star Global Concert at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris featuring performances by Annie Lennox (Annie Lennox), Herbie Hancock (Herbie Hancock), Marcus Miller (Marcus Miller), Dee Dee Bridgewater (Dee Dee Bridgewater), Wayne Shorter (Wayne Shorter), Dianne Reeves (Dianne Reeves), Al Jarreau (Al Jarreau), Femi Kuti (Femi Kuti), Hugh Masekela (Hugh Masekela), Grégoire Maret (Gregoire Maret), Claudette Robinson (Claudio Roditi), Terri Lyne Carrington (Terri Lyne Carrington), Lee Ritenour (Lee Ritenour), Ben Williams (Ben Williams), John Beasley (John Beasley) and more. The UN Secretary-General delivered remarks at the concert, which was a highlight of UNESCO’s 70th anniversary celebrations.
At the end of the concert, Herbie Hancock and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Heather Higginbottom (Heather Higginbottom) shared news with the world: “Please join us on April 30 next year for the 5th annual International Jazz Day. We are honored to announce that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will host next year’s All-Star Global Concert at the White House in Washington, D.C.”
At the initiative of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, UNESCO Member States designated April 30 as International Jazz Day to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe. International Jazz Day has been included in the official calendars of both UNESCO and the United Nations.
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova (Irina Bokova) said in celebrating the 4th annual International Jazz Day: “In troubled times, we need the spirit of jazz more than ever to bring people together, promote freedom and dialogue, build new bridges of respect and understanding, and foster inclusion and cooperation.”
International Jazz Day 2015 kicked off in this year’s Global Host City, -- Paris, with 55 jazz education and community outreach events throughout the day, followed by 30 evening concerts. In addition to events in Paris, thousands of activities took place across all seven continents—from Antarctica, Côte d'Ivoire and Romania to Afghanistan, Colombia and New Zealand—a wide range of exciting jazz-themed events were held in clubs, restaurants, hotels, community centers, schools, libraries, and performing arts venues. The post-concert artist reception after the Global Concert was hosted by the Fondation Louis Vuitton, where Herbie Hancock offered a special solo performance for guests.
The artist reception after the Global Concert was hosted by the Fondation Louis Vuitton, where Herbie Hancock offered a special solo performance for guests.
Air transport services were provided by United Airlines, the Official Airline of International Jazz Day 2015.
For information about International Jazz Day, please visit: http://www.unesco.org/days/jazzday and http://www.jazzday.com.
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