Mr. Juan Luís Guerra is designated UNESCO Artist for Peace
19-11-2008 11:20 am On 15 September 2008 Mr Juan Luís Guerra was designated UNESCO Artist for Peace by the Director-General of UNESCO Mr Matsuura. The ceremony took place at the Organization Headquarters, in the presence of Mr Francisco Javier Garcia, Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, Mr Avelino Stanley, Vice-Minister of Culture of the Dominican Republic and H.E. Ms Laura Faxas, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of the Dominican Republic to the UNESCO. Mr Guerra received this distinction “in recognition of his efforts for the benefit of children in need, his unfailing engagement for youth violence prevention and his dedication to the ideals and aims of the Organization”.
Born in 1957 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, he developed a passion for music from a very young age. After graduating from the Santo Domingo Conservatory of the Dominican Republic, he enrolled in the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston to study composition and arranging.
His first album “Soplando” was released in 1984 with the band “440” and became an instant success. Juan Luís Guerra is now globally famous and considered as the most recognized Dominican artist of today.
He is also known as the Master of Merengue, the national dance of the Dominican Republic, which he helped introduce in Europe.
Juan Luís Guerra received many national and international awards, including the famous Latino Grammy for his contribution to the music of his country and of the Caribbean.
Beyond this fabulous career, Juan Luís Guerra is involved in humanitarian activities, particularly in strengthening public awareness of children’s issues. This includes his work for the Foundation “America Latina en Accion Solidaria” (ALAS), created in 2006 to fight the malnutrition of children in Latin America, in cooperation with the UN and the World Food Programme (WFP). Juan Luís Guerra is also involved in campaigns against gender-based violence and participates in numerous peace concerts.
Juan Luis Guerra and his musicians concluded the ceremony with a concert.
Mr Guerra received this distinction “in recognition of his efforts for the benefit of children in need, his unfailing engagement for youth violence prevention and his dedication to the ideals and aims of the Organization”.