World Orchestra for Peace designated UNESCO Artist for Peace
26-07-2010 12:30 pm “I am very pleased to designate this unique World Orchestra as UNESCO Artists for Peace. Each member of your talented ensemble represents the universal desire to promote cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace.” With these words, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova presented the diploma of the Organization to Charles Kaye, Director of the World Orchestra for Peace, at a ceremony in the Royal Albert Hall in London on 5 August 2010. She continued, “Representing a family of over 40 countries from all regions, you are unto yourself a United Nations with an ideal that could not be more closely attuned to UNESCO’s – to build peace in the minds of people”.
Mr. Kaye expressed the gratitude of all the musicians who acclaimed the designation as the acknowledgement of their ceaseless effort to promote respect for diversity and understanding through music.
In the evening, Irina Bokova attended the BBC Proms concert in the Royal Albert Hall celebrating the Orchestra’s 15th anniversary. The orchestra performed two symphonies composed by Gustav Mahler.
The music played by the orchestra illustrates how it is possible to transcend the differences between people and proves the point of its founder Sir Georg Solti: “We are playing so beautifully, we prove that we can live in peace. I wish that politicians, left and right, could do the same.”
