Remarks by H.E. Mr. Vassily A. Nebenzia, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations

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UN Chamber Music Society Concert in Celebration of Russian Language Day

6 June 2021

Dear friends,

Please accept my cordial congratulations on the Day of the Russian Language – one of the 6 official languages of the United Nations!

On 6 June, birthday of an outstanding Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, the entire world praises the beauty and abundance of the Russian language. Russian is the language of a great culture that brings together people and communities across the globe and, of course, at the United Nations.  This day also means a lot in terms of promoting multilingualism at the UN platform.

We would like to thank the “UN Music Chamber Society” for organizing a concert on the occasion of the UN Russian Language Day.  Musicians from all over the world will take part in this online event and perform pieces written by Russian composers.  All of this underscores the international recognition of our culture, which rests upon the “great and mighty” Russian language as one of its key pillars.

Our wishes of creative success go to all participants of this event.  We also hope the concert will bring wonderful experience to the audience. Enjoy!

Remarks by H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert in Celebration of the English and Spanish Language Days

23 April 2021

Dear friends and colleagues,

I’m delighted to join you today to celebrate the English and Spanish Language Days at the United Nations with a special virtual concert of the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council.

I thank you for this invitation.

Today we celebrate the linguistic and cultural diversity of humanity, particularly through English and Spanish language and music. Today is the anniversary of the passing of two incredible individuals whose impact on their languages is present to this day, more than 400 years later: the great genius of Spanish letters, Miguel de Cervantes, and the most prestigious English playwright, William Shakespeare. Therefore, the UN Chamber Music Society has prepared a special performance of Shakespeare sonnets about love and human solidarity, integrated with Spanish classical music influenced by Cervantes’ writings.

Language Days at the United Nations were introduced to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity and promote the equal use of the six official languages across the Organization. Music is an international language that has the power to tear down borders between cultures and civilizations, promoting dialogue and a spirit of mutual understanding and, as we say in Spanish, “Convivencia”, living together.

As you know, cultural diversity is at the core of the work of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, and today is therefore a special celebration for us. Through our work and activities, we indeed work to foster a world of peace where we can all live together as One Humanity.

This special day raises awareness among UN staff, and the world in general, about the history, culture and use of English and Spanish as an official language. It is an opportunity to sensitize the global community to the rich history, culture and use of each of these languages.

Today we celebrate by promoting the UN goals through the universal language of music, shared heritage of our One Humanity.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful performance with the UN family and I thank you.

Message by Lang Lang, Pianist and UN Messenger of Peace

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UN Chamber Music Society of the UN Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert in Celebration of Chinese Language Day 2021 at the United Nations

20 April 2021

Hi everyone!  I send you all my greetings.  My name is Lang Lang.  I am a pianist and UN Messenger of Peace.  I would like to thank the UN Chamber Music Society for presenting this concert in celebration of Chinese Language Day.  This event celebrates the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of Chinese music. 
 

Ladies and gentlemen,
 

I commend the UN Chamber Music Society for its dedication to promoting the United Nations goals at large - through the universal language of music, and for inspiring the world by educating it’s global audience through classical music.  This is something I personally support, similarly to the vocation of the Lang Lang foundation, which educates and motivates the next generation of music lovers and performers, at the international level.

I hope that you will enjoy the concert!  Happy Chinese Language Day!

Message by H.E. Mr. Zhang Jun, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations

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UN Chamber Music Society of the UN Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert in Celebration of Chinese Language Day 2021 at the United Nations

20 April 2021

April 20 is the UN Chinese Language Day and Guyu (Grain Rain), the 6^th of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calender. Legend has it that Cangjie created Chinese characters on this day. The Chinese language, written in Chinese characters, is a crystallization of Chinese wisdom and a common asset of all humankind.

Chinese is one of the six official languages of the UN. The use of Chinese has ensured the effective implementation of the work of the UN and enhanced the understanding of the UN by Chinese people and Chinese speakers. We hope that the UN will continue to uphold multilingualism and strive to achieve equality in the use of Chinese and other official languages.

The Chinese language has witnessed the history of the UN’s founding and China’s participation in UN endeavors. China was the first country to sign the UN Charter. The Chinese characters on the Charter’s first signature page demonstrate China's firm commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter. In the five decades since the restoration of its lawful seat in the UN, China has actively participated in UN’s work, firmly upheld the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and made significant contributions to world peace and development.

On the occasion of the 12^th Chinese Language Day, I express my hope that more people will love and learn the Chinese language, and use it to know more about China and the UN. I hope that the Chinese language will play a more important role in the work of the UN, raise the voice of support for multilateralism, and continue to be an important medium to promote world peace and development and a bond to enhance friendship and trust between the people of China and people of the rest of the world.

To conclude, I wish the celebration of the UN Chinese Language Day a great success.

Message by H.E. Mr. Nicolas de Rivière, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations

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UN Chamber Music Society of the UN Staff Recreation Council

Virtual French Concert in Celebration of the International Day of la Francophonie and French Language Day at the United Nations
20 March 2021

Chers amis,

La crise provoquée par le COVID-19 a changé nos habitudes, et nous avons dû renoncer, malheureusement, aux concerts. Aujourd’hui, je tiens à remercier la Société de musique de chambre des Nations unies de les amener chez nous, à travers cette performance virtuelle.

Cette pandémie n’a pas épargné le secteur culturel. La France est fière de soutenir, depuis son lancement, le projet ResiliArt de l’UNESCO, qui aide les artistes grâce à des discussions mondiales de haut niveau avec des professionnels de l'industrie créative.

La France est honorée de promouvoir cette initiative en hommage au mois et à la journée de la francophonie. Ce 20 mars, nous célébrons la création de l’agence à l’origine de l’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. L’OIF est un acteur central du multilatéralisme et, depuis plus de 50 ans, promeut la paix, la tolérance et la diversité.
 

Défendre le multilinguisme, c’est encourager la compréhension mutuelle, l’entente entre les peuples. Aux Nations unies, le multilinguisme est une valeur fondamentale.  Dans quelques instants, nous aurons le plaisir d’écouter un beau programme d’œuvres francophones et françaises. De l’époque classique à nos jours, elles représentent un patrimoine musical qui continue de nous inspirer.
 

Je profite de ce message pour saluer Brenda Vongova, qui assure la direction artistique de ce concert, et je remercie tous les musiciens.  Ils nous rappellent l’importance de la culture et de l’art, qui peut nous unir dans le respect de nos différences, et malgré la distance imposée, à travers le langage universel de la musique.
 

Je vous remercie et vous souhaite un très bon concert.

Message by H.E. Mr. Léon Kacou Adom, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Côte d'Ivoire to the United Nations, Chairman of the Group of Francophone Ambassadors

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UN Chamber Music Society of the UN Staff Recreation Council

Virtual French Concert in Celebration of the International Day of la Francophonie and French Language Day at the United Nations
20 March 2021

Excellences Mesdames et Messieurs de la grande famille francophone,

Mesdames et Messieurs,

Je souhaiterais tout d’abord, remercier la Société de Musique de Chambre des Nations Unies pour l’organisation de ce concert en l’honneur à la Journée de la langue française aux Nations Unies, célébrée chaque 20 mars, en écho à la Journée internationale de la Francophonie. Je voudrais par ailleurs féliciter chaleureusement les musiciens talentueux réunis à cette occasion.

Je salue l’initiative du Projet ResiliArt qui sensibilise aux profondes conséquences de la pandémie de la COVID-19 sur le secteur culturel et qui vise à accompagner les artistes, pendant et après la crise sanitaire. Outre le secteur culturel qui a été fortement touché, le multilinguisme a lui aussi été mis à mal durant cette crise sanitaire.

C’est donc un honneur pour moi de délivrer ce message au nom du Groupe des Ambassadeurs francophones, en prélude au concert qui nous rassemble aujourd’hui.

Le Groupe des Ambassadeurs francophones auprès des Nations Unies, qui réunit des pays de tous les continents, a à cœur depuis plus de trente ans de défendre la langue française et plus largement le multilinguisme, garant de la démocratie des relations internationales et de l’égale participation de chaque Etat à la discussion internationale. Le multilinguisme permet également l’expression de la diversité, de la solidarité ainsi que la coopération au sein de notre institution commune, les Nations Unies.

Le concert organisé aujourd’hui commémore la journée de la langue française aux Nations Unies, une journée majeure pour la Francophonie puisque le 20 mars est la Journée internationale de la Francophonie, célébrée avec éclat sur les cinq continents. Cette année, la Journée internationale de la Francophonie est dédiée aux femmes francophones et a pour thème « Femmes Francophones, Femmes Résilientes ».

Ce concert nous invite donc à célébrer le patrimoine de la famille francophone et de la langue française. Une « symphonie », riche de 300 millions de francophones ; de 132 millions d’apprenants du et en français, dont 59% des locuteurs quotidiens sont en Afrique. La langue de Molière est l’une des deux langues de travail du Secrétariat des Nations Unies et l’une des six langues officielles de l’ONU, la 5è langue la plus parlée dans le monde, et la 4^ème langue sur internet.

A travers ce concert, le Groupe des Ambassadeurs francophones, au diapason de la communauté internationale, « accorde » son action et souligne son plaidoyer en faveur d’un multilatéralisme renforcé, inclusif et solidaire ; un multilatéralisme au service des peuples, harmonieux et respectueux des diversités culturelles.

Excellent concert à toutes et à tous.

Message by Brenda Vongova, President of the UN Chamber Music Society

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UN Chamber Music Society of the UN Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert in Celebration of International Women’s Day

8 March 2021
 

Today’s special concert, on International Women’s Day, pays special tribute to the women who have helped to shae music history, and whose voices have been marginalized.  Music is the language of peace.  It is universal and symbolizes equality, as it requires no translation - and holds the power to encourage gender balance.  Throughout the history of classical music, the voices of female composers have been silenced.

For example: A lot of people are not aware that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s sister – Marianne Mozart – was an equally talented musician.  However, due to societal views on women at the time, she was discouraged by her parents from showcasing her artistic talents, and was simply left to stay at home.  For centuries, there was the notion that women could perhaps be talented only in performing – however, never of mind (in other words, in music composing).  There is evidence that Marianne composed beautifully.  Sadly, none of her compositions have survived.  As a result, unlike her brother, since her talent was not nurtured, she never made history as a classical musician. 

Conventional classical music history and current concert hall settings continue to be dominated by male composers – such as Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart – to name a few.  Today, we are at a pivotal moment for women’s rights, as we all know that there is no better path to a more peaceful and prosperous world than the empowerment of women, through allowing the voices of women to be heard.  Classical music history must no longer be replete of female composers. 

For this reason, the repertoire we are about to perform has been designed in the feminist spirit, featuring only female classical music composers.  Our performance celebrates the accomplishments of equally genius female composers – by Yuko Uébayashi, Jessica Meyer, Meira Warshauer, and Fanny Mendelssohn – the sister of the more famous Felix Mendelssohn.  These composers worked with, and within, a male-dominated musical culture. 

I would like to thank all the musicians who helped to make this concert a success.  I would also like to thank the friends of the UN Chamber Music Society, including all the special guest female artists: Flutist Carol Wincenc; Cellist Jia Kim; Violist Carol Rodland; and Boston Philharmonic Associate Principal Cellist, Velléda Miragias - for their generous support to this concert.

May the music you are about to hear today – help us all reflect on the International Day of Women, and remind us, that we are all equal.  

Message by Bill de Blasio, Mayor of New York City
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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council
Virtual Concert in celebration of World Day for Social Justice

In support of (In)Visible Women NYC Organization at the United Nations International School
20 February 2021

It is a pleasure to join the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council as it hosts a concert to benefit homeless New Yorkers.
 

New York’s phenomenal cultural energy has long inspired and attracted artists from every corner of the map. The UN Chamber Music Society strengthens our vital performing arts sector through its concerts featuring talented United Nations personnel and members of our thriving diplomatic community. This gifted ensemble also gives back by championing the UN’s mission to promote peace and security, advance freedom and equality, and address the world’s most pressing crises. Funds raised at tonight’s event will support (In)visible Women NYC, an organization based at the United Nations International School that assists homeless women living in New York City. This gathering is also a terrific occasion to applaud everyone associated with the Society for their efforts to connect our diverse residents to the joys of classical music and showcase the remarkable creativity, generosity, and spirit of inclusion that define our global city and unite us all.

On behalf of the City of New York, please accept my best wishes for a wonderful evening and continued success.  Enjoy the show!

Message by Penny Abeywardena, Commissioner for the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs in New York City
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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council
Virtual Concert in celebration of World Day for Social Justice
In support of (In)Visible Women NYC Organization at the United Nations International School
20 February 2021

Greetings! My name is Penny Abeywardena and I am the Commissioner for the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs in New York City. And on behalf of Mayor Bill de Blasio, it is my privilege to join you all to commemorate the World Day for Social Justice.

On this day, we as a society take time to reflect on and recommit ourselves to tackling poverty and inequality in all its forms. The de Blasio Administration has always been committed to these ideals. And during the pandemic, we have all been especially focused on ensuring that all New Yorkers have food on their tables and a roof over their heads. However, we know, that despite our best efforts, far too many families continue to struggle through these unprecedented times.

And so, it warms my heart that the United Nations Chamber Music Society is sharing their talents and hosting this concert to benefit homeless New Yorkers.

In addition to bringing joy during these turbulent times, this concert is testament to the truth that we are all united in the fight to end poverty, eliminate inequality and forge a better future… for all.

Message by Dr. Dan Brenner, Executive Director of the United Nations International School
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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council
Virtual Concert in celebration of World Day for Social Justice

In support of (In)Visible Women NYC Organization at the United Nations International School
20 February 2021

Good afternoon.  My name is Dan Brenner and I am the executive director of the United Nations International School, the school of the UN.  I am here today with our students for this Concert in celebration of World Day for Social Justice

Social Justice is built into the intricate fabric of our curriculum.  Our UNIS Mission is to educate and inspire our students to become an active force in shaping a better world.  Today's concert focuses on sending support to homeless women - an issue that one of our student clubs, (In)Visible Women, has focused on for the last four years

While this group began as (In)Visible Women in 2016, the seeds for this club were planted in 2014 when these students were in M3 or 7th grade.  It began with an innocent observation and question: "Why is it that the people who help the homeless are those who have experienced homelessness?" It also began with a hard look at our own privilege.

Through the students' self motivation they have  raised funds and awareness to support homeless women in the community and their club has grown from 10 students to 80.  These students are Committed to making a positive impact and change in our world and as a school, and personally, we are proud of them!

Finally, I want to Thank Brenda Vongova (the artistic director of the UN Chamber Music Society) who has met with our students several times over the past few years, for supporting their efforts and for making this concert possible.  Thank you again. 

Message by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications
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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert on Occasion of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Hello friends and dear colleagues!

It’s my pleasure to greet you for this concert to mark the International Day of Commemoration in the Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust.

Today is an opportunity to remember and to reflect – on the devastating suffering of the past, but also on what we can do now, and in the future, to ensure that this can never happen again.

Many years have passed since the Holocaust. But the threat posed by antisemitism is still with us today. We can see it all too frequently, and it is in your and my responsibility to prevent and wholeheartedly reject acts of antisemitism wherever we encounter them.

Also, we must strongly condemn any act of violence that causes suffering and attacks the dignity of our fellow human beings.

We must educate ourselves and future generations about the memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

And we must attack the roots of hatred that allow antisemitism to fester, especially online and on social media.

Reject antisemitism. Stop acts of violence. Undertake, instead, acts of kindness and solidarity.

That’s what I hope this music today will bring to you – the message that we’re here to work together to build a better world, where the dignity of every human being is upheld and protected.

This is especially important as we strive to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and the ways in which some people have twisted the crisis to promote hatred and division. We need solidarity, not division.

So my thanks to the UN Chamber Music Society of the UN Staff Recreation Council for organizing this inspiring event.

To all of you tuning in across the world, I hope you enjoy this special commemorative concert. Thank you.

Message by Brenda Vongova, President of the UN Chamber Music Society

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert on Occasion of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Today’s special commemorative concert is held on the annual UN observance to honour the memory of the victims of the Holocaust. The Holocaust resulted in the murder of one third of the Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities. It will forever be a warning to all people of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice. The founding principle of the Charter of the United Nations, "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war", is testimony to the indelible link between the United Nations and the unique tragedy of the Second World War.

The concert’s classical music programme will feature Jewish composers, and will open and close with recitations of Jewish prayers recorded in the Treblinka and Buchenwald concentration camps.  The atrocities of the Holocaust, and the injunction to heed its lesson of rejecting cruelty and evil, are remembered in stories told through literature, art and music. This concert will feature a musical composed by Michael Cohen, based on Anne Frank’s diaries; as well as a ballet-opera about the work of German-Jewish artist, Charlotte Salomon, who painted her life story in over 1000 paintings that summoned the lost world of her childhood.  This ballet-opera, composed by Michelle DiBucci, won the prestigious FAUST Prize, Germany’s highest honor in theater and dance.

I would like to thank all the musicians and friends of the UN Chamber Music Society, including the UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Melissa Fleming, as well as the Director of the Hannah Arendt Center, Professor Roger Berkowitz – for their support on this occasion.  THank you for using music to carry on the memories, scars and stories of the survivors, those lost, and of their family members.  May the music you are about to hear – help us reflect on the devastating suffering of the Holocaust, and remind us all that the dignity of every human beings must be protected, and we are all equal.

Message by Professor Roger Berkowitz, Founder and Academic Director of the Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities at Bard College

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert on Occasion of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Hannah Arendt was arrested and fled Germany in 1933.  She was later imprisoned in Gurs detention camp in France until she escaped. She wrote The Origins of Totalitarianism to understand how mass loneliness, racism, imperialism, bureaucracy, and the breakdown of the nation-state system all contributed to totalitarianism and the Holocaust.

In 1960, she attended the trial of Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem. She went, she explained, because "I wanted to see one of the chief culprits with my own eyes as he appeared in the flesh."

Arendt was moved by the testimony by Zindel Grynszpan, who told how he was rounded up by police in Germany; how the S.S. were whipping and torturing thousands of Jews; how he experienced the "wild brutality of Germans." Listening to Grynszpan, she wrote, condensed the "senseless, needless destruction of twenty-seven years in less than twenty-four hours." His tale led to her belief that "Everyone, everyone should have his day in court."

She tells of how Abba Kovner told the story of Anton Schmidt, a German Sergeant who, taking no money, saved the lives of Kovner and many Jewish partisans, before he was arrested and executed. As Kovner told the story, "a hush settled over the courtroom.... And in those two minutes, which were like a sudden burst of light in the midst of impenetrable, unfathomable darkness, a single thought stood out clearly, irrefutably, beyond question—how utterly different everything would be today in this courtroom, in Israel, in Germany, in all of Europe, and perhaps in all countries of the world, if only more such stories could have been told."

The concentration and extermination camps of the Holocaust did more than take the lives of millions of Jews and others. They sought to render those people superfluous—to erase them from memory. In listening to victim's stories, Arendt concludes that in this effort of erasure, the Nazis failed. The stories she heard told and retold—of victims and everyday heroes like the resistance fighters in the Warsaw ghetto—are bursts of light. They prove, she argues, "The holes of oblivion do not exist." Even in the most totalitarian regime, the human spirit will shine and there will be others who survive to remember and tell the stories of those who died with dignity and fought for survival.

I am honored to be with you on this occasion commemorating the Victims of the Holocaust. May their memory last and may it continue to throw light and hope on to our future.

Message by H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

“75 YEARS OF LOVE”
Album Launch in Celebration of the 75^th Anniversary of the United Nations
In support of the UN Refugee Agency

Saturday, 12 December 2021

It is a true pleasure to welcome “75 YEARS OF LOVE,” the ensemble music album from the UN Chamber Music Society and partners.

Much like the people who make up the UN itself, this album draws on musicians and musical styles from all corners of the globe and represents a true celebration of the diversity of humanity.  From the reggae tunes of Jamaica’s Julian Marley, to the operatic heights of Italy’s Giacomo Puccini, to the moving orchestral compositions of Saudi Arabia’s Ghiya Rushidat, the album spans continents, centuries, and civilizations.

It gives me immense appreciation to note that all proceeds from the sale of this album will go to support the UN Refugee Agency – UNHCR.  Since its founding in 1950, when it helped refugees from the Second World War, UNHCR has grown to 17,000 personnel across 134 countries. Their lifesaving and life-changing support to tens of millions of people each year has led to the organization twice winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

I am encouraged that once again, the universal language of music is bringing people together and lending support to a worthy cause. Now more than ever, as COVID-19 rages around the world, we need to work together, to be in harmony in our efforts, to sing from the same songbook if you will.

I welcome this contribution from the UN Chamber Music Society and commend the work of both the Society and UNHCR.

Message by Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in New York

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Concert in celebration of Human Rights Day

Thursday, 10 December 2020

I wish to thank the UN Chamber Music Society and its Artistic Director, Brenda Vongova, for this wonderful initiative.
 

Music is the highest expression of human existence. It is the language which everyone speaks and that speaks to everyone – the language that connects us regardless of who we are and where we come from.

More than any other form of communication, music represents the universality that binds us together as a human family. That power, in my view, has never been as important than at this time of unprecedented global turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 

The pandemic is at heart a human rights crisis, with devastating impact on our basic rights and fundamental freedoms.

This is why this concert, marking the adoption of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, is so timely and so important.

In particular, by bringing to the limelight composers of minority communities and female composers, we celebrate not only the diversity that our societies depend on to thrive and grow.

We also amplify the voices of those who are often marginalized and unheard. As the pandemic has disproportionately impacted on racial, ethnic and religious minorities, the concert symbolizes the truth that we will only build back and recover better from the pandemic if all voices are heard.
 

The Universal Declaration for Human Rights explicitly underlines that “a common understanding” of the rights and freedoms it sets out “is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge”.

Music can achieve that common understanding.  Just as music is not just a series of notes, human rights are not just written words.  They bring dignity and solidarity to our existence. 

Message by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

“75 YEARS OF LOVE”
Concert in celebration of the 75^th Anniversary of the United Nations
In support of the UN Refugee Agency

Saturday, 24 October 2020

Friends and colleagues,

It gives me great pleasure to send you greetings for this concert in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.

Organizing a virtual concert during this challenging time is no easy feat, so I would like to applaud the UN Chamber Music Society of the Staff Recreation Council.

The title of this concert, 75 Years of Love, is a warm and thoughtful reminder that the UN’s efforts since 1945 have been borne from its staff’s collective love for people and planet.

As we mark the UN’s 75th anniversary, we face a global pandemic like no other and we need to unite in spirit more than ever before.

Music that transcends distance and language is therefore more important than ever.

I would also like to congratulate the UN Chamber Music Society on the upcoming launch of its first album recording. The decision to direct any donations received to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is both generous and commendable.

May the music today bring us peace and inspire us to unite and build back better from these tumultuous times. I wish everyone an enjoyable concert!

Message by Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

“75 YEARS OF LOVE”
Concert in celebration of the 75^th Anniversary of the United Nations
In support of the UN Refugee Agency

Saturday, 24 October 2020

Today is United Nations Day marking the anniversary of when the UN came into being.  As we celebrate achievements over the UN’s 75-year history, we must also pause and reflect on our past and the challenges before us to pave the way toward a more inclusive future.  A future where no one is left behind.

UNHCR is proud to be part of the UN system – staying and delivering for those forcibly uprooted by conflict and persecution around the world.  We are thankful for global solidarity, including the host communities who have welcomed refugees, IDPs, and stateless people.  But the international community must also end the conflicts and injustice that are forcing people to flee.  To support them until they find safety or can return home.  Until such a time, we will remain by the side of the 80 million refugees and other displaced people who have been uprooted from their homes, unwavering in our support.  Our call for global solidarity has been answered by so many.

I am grateful to the UN Music Chamber Society for all donations from the sales of their debut album to UNHCR, to people forced to flee their homes.  I have seen firsthand how every single act of kindness, big and small, makes a difference in the lives of the people we are striving to serve.  For every single donation, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

Message by Fabrizio Hochschild, Special Adviser on Preparations for Seventy-Fifth United Nations Anniversary

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

“75 YEARS OF LOVE”
Concert in celebration of the 75^th Anniversary of the United Nations
In support of the UN Refugee Agency

Saturday, 24 October 2020

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

We celebrate the 75^th anniversary at a time when across the world we are all suffering from the effects of the same pandemic. At few times in the history of the United Nations has humanity been so united in its fears and hopes.

And yet – painfully, paradoxically  - in political discourse as well as in international affairs, the airwaves seem to be most dominated by polarization, by disunity, by stigmatization, by prejudice and by conflict.

And the words of disunity have real life consequences: Protracted conflict, a rise in political and inter-ethnic violence; in discrimination and hate crimes; in attacks on asylum seekers and a decline in solidarity and coherence in tackling global problems.

Major divisions on the global stage have existed for as long as the United Nations has existed. But arguably they have rarely so overshadowed, drowned out, to the extent they are doing now, what brings us all together, the fears, aspirations and hopes for the future that unite us.

To previous generations, deeply scarred by the result of unchecked divisions – two world wars – universal aspirations were captured in the UN Charter. For our generation, the wording of the Charter can seem remote and even if still appealing, it does not have the same emotional hold as it did for those who lived through the immense suffering of a World War. Most of us are blessed by an unprecedented period of global peace and progress that we can tend to take for granted.  But what will we leave behind for those who come after us?

We are at a tipping point and unless we manage to reassert and work on what binds us together as much as we trumpet our differences, the likelihood is, we will leave behind a planet wrecked by our indifference to climate change and environmental depletion; a world with entrenched, everlasting conflicts and ever growing inequalities.

The Secretary-General has said we are at another 1945 moment. As our forebearers did after World War 2 we need to rediscover and reassert the language of our unity, of our common fears and common hopes, forged through the crucible of the pandemic. 

And what better example is there of a common language beyond our differences, notwithstanding our divisions, than music?

I am delighted to welcome all of you to this special concert by the UN Chamber Music Society in celebration of the UN’s 75th anniversary.  The UN Chamber Music Society is also launching a debut world music album, in partnership with my office and the UN Refugee Agency, to help support refugees.

I hope these performances will inspire us. We need change. 

Happy United Nations Day to all!

Message from Olivier Adam, Executive Coordinator of the
United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Programme

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Tribute Concert to the Homeless on the UN International Day of Charity
Saturday, 5 September 2020

Dear participants,

It is an honour to be with all of you virtually today on the occasion of this very special International Day. For me, as the Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers programme, the International Day of Charity is a day to pay tribute to all those who are putting the needs of others before their own.

Whether donating money or volunteering your time, charity can make a world of difference for people – especially the most vulnerable. All it takes is a willing and determined heart driven by compassion and empathy.

Every year over 20,000 UN Volunteers, both online and on-site, show that they embrace these values by joining their efforts to support global peace and development. Working often at the heart of communities, they are making a difference in people’s lives.

And so are all of you today. Thank you to the UN Chamber Music Society, the artists involved and all listeners joining today’s Tribute Concert for helping to make a difference in the lives of the homeless of New York City. 

Dr. Joseph W. Polisi, President Emeritus of Juilliard

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Concert in Celebration of World Humanitarian Day 2020

Wednesday, 19 August 2020

Good evening.  I’m honored to be a part of this virtual concert in celebration of World Humanitarian Day.  The art of music has been an essential part of the human experience for millennia, bringing joy, solace, and intellectual stimulus to societies around the world. 

Today, as we deal with a pandemic which has touched everyone of us, we can experience this concert as a manifestation of the best of humanity – an experience which makes seemingly abstract sounds come together in sophisticated structures to stimulate the mind and feed the soul.

This evening’s programme features artists and compositions from around the world, representing numerous cultural traditions and historical periods that enrich each one of us.  From the genius of Johann Sebastian Bach, to the perceptive and moving work of the great Syrian clarinetist, Kinan Azmeh.  This continuum represents the best of humanity, and motivates us all to strive for a future of peace and for mutual understanding.

I wish to congratulate Brenda Vongova, Artistic Director of the United Nations Chamber Music Society, and this evening’s performing artists, for providing us with a joyful experience, communicating the very best values of our global community.

Thank you.

Message by Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León, Director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Concert in Celebration of World Humanitarian Day 2020

Wednesday, 19 August 2020

The Covid19 pandemic will leave behind, hopefully soon, an immense toll of human suffering and sadly more than a few examples of failed leadership to deal with this tragedy.

But this sad episode will also leave us with many lessons and inspirational examples of human solidarity and enlightened leadership that we and future generations should treasure and put to good use as new challenges are confronted in the years to come.

The defeat of the pandemic, which will also be a resounding rebuff of the recklessness, ignorance and discord that has aggravated enormously the pain caused by the disease, will be above all the triumph of the humanitarian spirit.

Our world, our nations, our communities will overcome this hard test thanks to those who have applied themselves to serve others with their most dedicated work, with their generosity and compassion, and with an unwavering, wise and collaborative application of the best scientific knowledge. We know that they have done their service to the point of personal sacrifice and in the case of many health providers risking and even losing their lives.

The end of the pandemic will be indeed a victory of civilization but also of the humanitarian values that give it purpose and transcendence for the peoples of our world.

Consequently, it is most fitting to use this World Humanitarian Day 2020 and this concert to express our tribute and deepest gratitude to those who are giving the best of themselves to save the rest of us from the tribulations being endured.

Dr. Adam Meyer, Provost of Juilliard

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Concert in Celebration of World Humanitarian Day 2020

Wednesday, 19 August 2020

Hello, I’m Adam Meyer, Provost and proud alumnus of The Juilliard School, and I’m honored to join you for this performance in celebration of World Humanitarian Day. 

At Juilliard, our mission is to provide an unmatched educational and artistic experience for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors, so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens. With mentorship from our world-class faculty, our students graduate into a remarkable alumni community of artists and citizens.  It is a community that believes that the arts are vital to the human experience, leading to greater cultural understanding and, ultimately, a better world. Today's event pays tribute to aid workers, who often risk their safety to help others in times of crisis. We are immensely grateful for their heroic work.

This event is especially meaningful to us at Juilliard because so many of our talented alumni are taking part in today's performance. We are so proud of them. 

On behalf of Juilliard, I want to thank the United Nations Chamber Music Society for its dedication to promoting the UN goals through the universal language of music, and for this opportunity to welcome the global audiences to this performance to celebrate World Humanitarian Day. And I thank all the humanitarian workers at the United Nations, for their critically important support of relief efforts around the globe. We are honored to be here today to help bring greater awareness and deeper understanding to this invaluable work.  

Thank you.

Message by Brenda Vongova, President of the UN Chamber Music Society (UNCMS)

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Concert in Celebration of World Humanitarian Day 2020

Wednesday, 19 August 2020

Greetings. My name is Brenda Vongova, founder of the UN Chamber Music Society.

Today’s concert in celebration of World Humanitarian Day is in honour of every person in need in this world.  And to pay special tribute to the real-life heroes from the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations, who have committed their lives to helping others in the most extreme circumstances throughout the world.  Every day, the humanitarian community provides life-saving support and protection to people most in need around the globe - including refugee camps, internal displacement settlements, in urban cities and remote locations.

This year, World Humanitarian Day comes as the world continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic over recent months. Aid workers are overcoming unprecedented access hurdles to assist people in humanitarian crises in 54 countries. Despite the pandemic, humanitarians stayed in these emergencies and continue to deliver.

I’d like to thank the Under-Secretary-General and Head of OCHA, Mark Lowcock, and the Permanent Observer and Head of Delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to the UN, Richard Blewitt, for their opening statements. I’d also like to thank Dr. Joseph Polisi, President Emeritus of Juilliard, as well as Dr. Adam Meyer, Provost of Juilliard - for their kind support to this concert.

I am pleased to deliver today’s performance, in partnership with The Sound Bridges International, founded by Florrie Marshall from the Yale School of Music, together with the extraordinary members of the UN Chamber Music Society. 

The music programme will feature musical works that represent an artistic tapestry of human experience, to provoke empathy and create a more compassionate world, in hopes of building bridges of cultural understanding. Music symbolizes love and peace, and can help highlight the plight of the most vulnerable, as the case in our concert today.  All musicians will perform music from the safety of their homes, to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.  I hope that you will enjoy this concert!

I thank you.

Message by Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Concert in Celebration of World Humanitarian Day 2020

Wednesday, 19 August 2020

When the whole world is grappling with COVID-19, we have seen how music can uplift spirits.  Images of neighbors playing music from their balconies in Italy, was a bright moment in the early days of quarantine.  Music allows us to be together, even when we’re physically apart.  It reinforces of sense of shared experience and humanity.

It is therefore a great honour that the UN Chamber Music Society, a group of accomplished musicians in the international community who use the universal language of music to promote the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, have decided to mark this World Humanitarian Day.

They do that with a special performance that include pieces by Bach, Mendelssohn and Brahms.

My most heartfelt thanks go to the United Nations Chamber Music Society, and to humanitarian workers everywhere, whose dedication we celebrate today.

MESSAGE FROM H.E. Ms. Amal Mudallali, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert for Lebanon

Sunday, 16 August 2020

Dear friends,

I would like to thank the UN Chamber Music Society for this wonderful initiative. This initiative will put a smile on the face of Beirut. Beirut today has a tear on its face beirut is mourning. Beirut, the cultural capital of the Arab world and the Middle East.

The music capital of the Arab World and the Middle East, the heartbeat of Lebanon and the  Arab World. Beirut today is asking for your help.

Thank you very much for this initiative that shows that we are all one. That we are all connected, and we are connected with love and solidarity.

Thank you very much.

Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert for Lebanon

Sunday, 16 August 2020

It is with a heavy heart that I send this message to the people of Lebanon. I hope that the beauty of this music from the United Nations Chamber Music Society will help you feel you are not alone. That horrific explosion stole so many beautiful lives. It injured indiscriminately and left physical and mental wounds that will last forever. It shattered communities and destroyed neighborhoods. But the blast also created a tremor of shock that rippled across the world, creating a tidal wave of solidarity.

I have visited Lebanon many times. My daughter studied at one of your great universities. I craved your cuisine. I loved the energy with which you celebrated each day – because the war was too dark and painful to revisit or repeat. I admired your generosity and your humanity towards others in need, especially for so many Syrian refugees.

After the explosion, it was incredible to see how so many Lebanese volunteers and first responders selflessly pitching in - to find the missing, rescue the injured, clear the debris. 

Now you are in great need. And you demand accountability and change.

Please know that the United Nations stands with you. Our humanitarians and peacekeepers are doing everything they can. And they will stay and support your recovery in every possible way. We are urging donors, including those listening in now, to give generously.

Beirut will be forever scarred, but could emerge changed, and better.

Message FROM Ernesto Ottone R.,
UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

UN75/UNESCO ResiliArt Dialogue
‘Music and Film: Rebuilding Better Through Coronavirus and Beyond’
21 July 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt the global economy on a large scale, and the culture and creative industries have not been spared. In fact, the sector, which heavily relies on physical spaces and shared experiences like cinemas, concert, museums and live performances, has been one of the hardest hit. As some countries begin to relax physical distancing restrictions, the culture sector remains largely on pause, risking being forgotten and left behind in the “new normal”.

Despite the growing demand and appetite for cultural content, many of the artists and cultural professionals who create these sounds and images are in an extremely precarious situation. Oftentimes, they are left without the social or economic safety nets that professionals in other industries enjoy.

This is why, on 15 April, World Art Day, UNESCO launched ResiliArt, a global movement that sheds light on the far-reaching ramifications of COVID-19 across the cultural sector through open dialogues. During the inauguration of the movement, we called on artists and cultural professionals around the world to organize their own ResiliArt talks. Today, I am delighted to announce that more than 110 debates have taken place across all regions of the world.

The success of ResiliArt not only underscores the adversities facing artists, but also their enormous knowledge, innovation, agility, and capacity to mobilize.

ResiliArt has brought together artists and cultural professionals from over 50 countries, yet they share many common concerns: insufficient emergency financial support, difficulty monetizing their work in the digital space, lack of access to health insurance, absence of culture in recovery, the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on female artists, and a lack of access to digital technologies.

Across the world, we have seen that the social and economic precariousness of artists is a chronic condition. COVID-19 did not create these vulnerabilities – it only exposed and worsened them. The current crisis must trigger efforts to increase the creative sector’s resilience, and serve as a turning point to rethink the value of cultural work.

Artists and creators need our help today – to fight alongside them for the survival of the creative industries – and to demand fair remuneration for their creative labour during and beyond the current crisis.

Brenda Vongova, President of the UN Chamber Music Society
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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

UN75/UNESCO ResiliArt Dialogue
‘Music and Film: Rebuilding Better Through Coronavirus and Beyond’
21 July 2020

Thank you for joining our discussion today on how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the music and film industries, and how these industries are responding.  We would like to thank the UN Secretary-General’s Advisor on UN75 Fabrizio Hochschild and WHO’s Art and Health Lead Christopher Bailey for opening this special discussion.  I’d also like to thank all the panelists for their invaluable insights.  And above all, we would like to thank Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture, for moderating this panel discussion.

Art and culture are severely under-represented in global policy discussions.  The UN Chamber Music Society will prepare a summary of today’s Dialogue, which will be included in the UN75 report that will be presented to world leaders of 193 UN Member States, as well UN leadership at the Commemoration of the UN’s 75 Anniversary in the General Assembly this September.  UNCMS has also endorsed the Culture 2030 Goal Statement entitled “Ensuring culture fulfills its potential in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.”  This Statement’s advocacy campaign was launched by 8 international cultural networks this April, and was endorsed earlier this month by the President of the UN General Assembly, His Excellency Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande.

We call on the cultural sectors to unite to protect the creative industries, including music and film, that will help us rebuild our societies better, and create the future we want.  We call on you to make your voice heard.  Engage with UN75 and ResiliArt.  Endorse the Culture 2030 Goal Statement. 

Music and film help us find meaning and purpose through historic and artistic reflection.  We will need the creative and intellectual capacities they foster, more than ever, once this crisis has passed.  And on that note, I hope that you will enjoy this closing performance of "Baba Yetu" by 2x Grammy Award winner composer, Christopher Tin!

I thank you.

Fabrizio Hochschild, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Preparations for Seventy-Fifth United Nations Anniversary
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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

UN75/UNESCO ResiliArt Dialogue
‘Music and Film: Rebuilding Better Through Coronavirus and Beyond’
21 July 2020

This year, confronted with worst global pandemic in 100 years, we mark the 75^th anniversary of the United Nations.  We need music and art more than ever and I would like to thank the UN Chamber Music Society for hosting this UN75 dialogue, in partnership with UNESCO’s ResiliArt, with leading voices from the music and film industries.

We are marking this, our 75 birthday differently:  Frankly, looking at the state of the world, there is not too much to celebrate instead we want to pause, and listen, we want to take a global reality check.  We want to hear from the world  – through dialogues and surveys – on how we can better address the most urgent global challenges of our time, like pandemics, climate change, protracted conflict and growing inequality.

COVID19 crisis has changed our lives, possibly forever but it has also reminded us just how interconnected our world is and how critical it is for us all to work together to tackle the global challenges we face. It is up to us to decide how well we work together as we come out of this crisis. Your voices are more important now than ever before.  
 

There are many ways to have your say, the easiest is through our one-minute survey that anyone, anywhere can take, and it is available in over 50 languages. You can also hold UN75 global dialogues; similar to the one we are so honored to participate in today.  The views, concerns and ideas expressed in today’s dialogue will be included and presented in a publicly available report to world leaders of all 193 UN Member States and senior UN officials.  This dialogue will explore how we can chart ways forward both throughout the COVID-19 crisis, and beyond it to 2045, to better address global threats and build the world we want.  
 

Culture in all forms, including music and film, are integral and must be incorporated in these discussions to build the future we want.  Music and film are one of the most socially influential sectors within culture, and this dialogue aims to further engage them in global policy discussions and UN implementation efforts related to the Sustainable Development Goals.
 

I hope that you will enjoy this UN Chamber Music Society dialogue on music and film.  As humanity faces its greatest test since the formation of the United Nations in the aftermath of World War II, may this dialogue contribute to the UN75’s efforts in the shaping of a new world by 2045, the United Nations’ centennial.  Music is the common language of humanity. Music points the way to rediscovering our common aspirations and hopes for a better future. The UN75 initiative provides the platform to communicate them.

MESSAGE FROM NDABA MANDELA

CHAIRMAN FOR THE MANDELA INSTITUTE FOR HUMANITY

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert in celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day

18 July 2020

Greetings.  My name is Ndaba Mandela, the Chairman for the Mandela Institute for Humanity.  I would like to thank the UN Chamber Music Society for presenting this concert in celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day.  This event symbolizes the world’s calls to action for solidarity with all people everywhere fighting for justice and equality for all. 

In recognition of my grandfather’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom, Nelson Mandela Day recognizes my grandfather’s values and dedication to the service of humanity in the struggle of democracy internationally, and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I’d like to dedicate this performance to my late great aunt, my twin, my beloved. I will always miss you.  And to our other cousin who passed away as well this week. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

This is dedicated to all the people all over the work who have lost someone due to this COVID-19 epidemic.  I say to you, stay strong.  I say, let us continue to show social distancing.  Let us stay at home.  Let us make sure we do what we can to beat this epidemic. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

I commend the UN Chamber Music Society for featuring black composers who have changed the course for classical music history.  In celebration of this important day, I hope that you will enjoy the concert!

I thank you.  Happy Nelson Mandela International Day!

MESSAGE FROM ILYASAH SHABAZZ

DAUGHTER OF MALCOLM X

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert in celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day

18 July 2020

Hi, I am Ilyasah Shabbazz – author and educator.  I share the legacy of my parents, Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz, so that all children have the opportunity to know that they are worthy of self-love.  Thank you to the UN Chamber Music Society for presenting this concert in celebration of President Nelson Mandela International Day, and for inviting me all the way in the US to this important and outstanding occasion.  And thank you, Ndaba Mandela, my friend.

In recognition of President Mandela’s global contribution to the culture of peace and freedom, I send my deepest condolences for my dear beautiful sister, Zindzi Mandela.  We will forever remember your bravery and political activism in your parents’ honour.

Nelson Mandela is also forever united with my father Malcolm X, their commitment to God, and to our people, unprecedented and timeless.  Nelson Mandela said, “When a man has done what he has considered to be his duty for his people and his country, he can then rest in peace.”  Both Mandela and Malcom X sparked a revolutionary fire that is still burning, and it is our responsibility to carry their work and their legacy forward.

Today, we are in need of more strong and dedicated leaders, now more than ever.  And that it is why President Mandela proclaimed, “I am Malcolm X.”  Because he knew the power of the undying spirit of freedom and liberation.

For the past 200 years, black composers were neglected from classical music concert halls, and so I commend the UN Chamber Music Society for taking charge, and featuring black composers and reclaiming the inclusion of black classical music history.  I know that you will enjoy this outstanding, beautiful concert, in honour of President Nelson Mandela Day!  Amandla!

MESSAGE FROM ROHAN MARLEY

SON OF BOB MARLEY

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert in celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day

18 July 2020

This day recognizes Madiba’s contribution to culture, freedom, peace and unity.  To recognize what is happening in the world today, to fight against racism, bringing people together.  Letting the world know that this is the human race for equality, standing together with unity and strength. 

As my father always said, and always will say forever – peace and unity are what we need for mankind to survive.  The music of one love.  My father has always been an advocate towards love and humanity.  My father has always been a representative for peace and freedom.

I would like to thank the family of Nelson Mandela.  I want to thank my family – the Marley family.  I want to thank Brenda Vongova, for what she has been doing and for her contribution.  And also, special thanks to the UN Chamber Music Society, and all the musicians that are participating, in bringing this cry to the world, letting people know that your voices should be heard.

To all the black musicians, all the black composers – thank you again for being a part of this movement.  We need your voices to be heard.  And thank being said, you know: One love!

MESSAGE FROM MELISSA FLEMING

UN UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert in celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day

18 July 2020

Dear friends and colleagues,

It gives me deep pleasure to send you greetings for the virtual concert in celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day, organized by the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council.

Madiba recognized the power of music to heal, to uplift and to connect.

He reminded us that, and I quote: “It is music and dancing that make me at peace in the world.”

As we mark the 75^th anniversary of the UN this year, may music bring us peace in these tumultuous times and strengthen our resolve to emulate Nelson Mandela’s example in striving for a world of freedom, peace and social justice on a healthy planet.

I wish you all an enjoyable concert!

message FROM H.E. MR. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande

PRESIDENT OF THE SEVENTY-FOURTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERLA ASSEMBLY

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UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council

Virtual Concert in celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day

18 July 2020

Excellencies,

Dear friends,

            It gives me great pleasure to open this virtual concert of the United Nations Chamber Music Society to commemorate Nelson Mandela. On this day, we honour a global advocate for equality, dignity and solidarity.

            On Monday 20^th July, on behalf of the selection committee, I will formally recognize the 2020 Mandela Prize Laureates during the annual observance of Nelson Mandela International Day. The award recognizes the achievements and dedication of those who have been guided by the purposes and principles of the United Nations while serving humanity. This award also honours the extraordinary life of Nelson Mandela; his legacy endures in all aspects of reconciliation, political transition and social transformation.

            The challenges we contend with today are varied and complex: COVID-19, climate change, racial injustice, hate speech, and deepening inequalities. Yet if we recall the courage and compassion of Madiba, and emulate his commitment to freedom, peace, and social justice we will create a healthy planet of hope, peace, dignity and equality.

            I hope that today’s concert will inspire you to take action to help change your communities, and the world, for the better. Mandela himself recognized the power of music to heal, uplift, and connect. I quote:

“Music is a great blessing. It has the power to elevate and   liberate us. It sets people free to dream. It can unite us to sing with one voice. Such is the value of music.”

            I thank you.

H.E. Mr. Nicolas de Rivière
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of France
to the United Nations
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MESSAGE TO the UN CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY’s

CONCERT IN SUPPORT OF unesco’S rESILIART
 

Bastille Day, 17 July 2020

 

Dear friends from the United Nations and from the foreign Missions,
Ladies and gentlemen,
 
 

In celebration of Bastille Day, I would like to thank the UN Chamber Music Society for presenting this all-French concert, in partnership with UNESCO and the International Organisation of La Francophonie.  The concert supports UNESCO’s ResiliArt, launched by UNESCO in April 2020, as concerted global effort to support artists and ensure access to culture for all.   

Bastille Day marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress and prison by revolutionary forces in 1789.  Today, to recapture the symbol of the French Revolution, we will have the pleasure of listening to the UN Chamber Music Society, under the direction of Brenda Vongova, whom I would like to thank warmly, as well as all the musicians who have contributed to occasion.  From dreamy Romantic works by Gabriel Fauré to influential pieces by masters such as Claude Debussy and Nadia Boulager, they will interpret a selection of pieces that are inherently linked to the rich musical history of French culture.

As Victor Hugo once said, “music expresses that which cannot be put into words, and that which cannot remain silent.”  I hope that you will enjoy the beautiful all-French music programme presented by the UN Chamber Music Society. 

Thank you.

message from Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO
delivered by Ernesto Ottone R., UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture

on the occasion of the UN Chamber Music Society virtual concert in support of ResiliArt (14 July 2020)

Ladies and gentlemen,
 

It is my pleasure to share this moment with you at this concert by the UN Chamber Music Society on Bastille Day. UNESCO is honoured to partner with the colleagues at the United Nations and the friends of the International Organisation of La Francophonie to celebrate the power and resilience of music.

Today, as COVID-19 continues to threaten our social fabric and shared humanity, we need what connects us and unites us. We need music more than ever.

In every crisis, there is hope. During the lockdown period, it was music, literature, films and dance that gave us the strengths, respite, joy and courage to face the uncertain tomorrow. The pandemic has revealed the essentiality and universality of artistic expressions in our societies.

Dear Friends,

The current health crisis has also triggered a cultural emergency. The pandemic and the physical-distancing measures have plunged the global economy into an unprecedented recession, amounting to the loss of US $1 trillion during 2020. 

The cultural and creative industries have been one of the hardest hit. Cultural facilities including museums, theatres, cinemas and concert halls are losing millions in revenue each day. Many have let go of their staff and fear that their doors may never reopen.  Artists across the world, most of whom were already working part-time, informally, or under precarious contracts, are struggling to make ends meet. 

This is why, two months ago on World Art Day, UNESCO launched ResiliArt.  ResiliArt is a global movement that sheds light on the impact of COVID-19 on the culture sector through virtual debates with artists and cultural leaders. During the inaugural debate, UNESCO called on artists and cultural professionals to start their own ResiliArt series in order to create a much-needed space of dialogue. Today, I am delighted to announce that more than 70 debates have taken place in over 40 countries, with a particularly strong participation from Africa. The success of this global movement is not only the testament to the adversities faced by our artists, but also the demonstration of their knowledge, innovation, agility, and the capacity to self-mobilize.

I encourage all interest parties to start your own ResiliArt movement by following a guideline prepared by UNESCO. Your ability to provide a platform and space of exchange can lead to a greater, sustainable change; UNESCO works hard to deliver these voices of resilience to the world leaders.

Ladies and gentlemen,

With less than a decade away from 2030, the deadline we set ourselves to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals fast approaches. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the global challenges and dynamics we face today may feel significantly different from when these ambitious goals were adopted in 2015.

The current crisis must trigger efforts to increase the creative sector’s resilience, and serve as a turning point to rethink the value of culture in our global priorities – 2030 and beyond. We must let arts and their creators fulfill their potential to achieve sustainable development.

Dear members of the audience,

While artists and creative workers suffer enormous financial losses, we are consuming arts and culture more than ever before. The stay-at-home measures have prompted a digital rush of cultural contents, making any artistic expressions reachable at our fingertips, often free of charge. This has exposed a disjointed reality, where arts are valued – but their creators are not fairly compensated.

The voices heard during numerous ResiliArt debates are a distress signal from the global creative sector. In response, UNESCO has set up a ResiliArt fund to assist professionals in the cultural and creative industries and improve the status of the artist during the current crisis and the next.

Today, artists need us more than ever before. Let’s support them way their art supported us during the lockdown period.

I wish you a wonderful concert.

Message from Ms. Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
on the occasion of the UN Chamber Music Society “Golden Record Concert” in honour of the International Day of Human Space Flight (12 April 2020)

[Note: Concert to be rescheduled, due to COVID-19.]
 

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,
 

First, I would like to thank the UN Chamber Music Society for organizing this beautiful concert celebrating one of the greatest achievements of humanity in science and technology. I am sorry that I cannot be with you in person as I had been very much looking forward to this evening.
 

It is a great honour for me to address you on this special occasion – the International Day of Human Spaceflight. Almost sixty years ago on 12 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin – a Soviet cosmonaut, was sent to space as the first human in history. This event kicked off one of the most adventurous eras in the history of humanity.
 

In the following decades we have left an unforgettable mark in the tome of space exploration. Landing humans on the Moon, sending more than 230 individuals to the International Space Station, conducting dozens of spacewalks.
 

And we have also broken boundaries in robotic space exploration. Landing rovers on Mars, probes on an asteroid and a comet, capturing photos of our neighbouring planets and their cosmic companions, images of stellar objects, a black hole and even distant galaxies.
 

We have discovered that the universe is incredibly huge. But here we are, more than 7.7 billion people and trillions of other organisms sharing this incredible blue planet.
 

Yet in all the diversity we have discovered the wonder of nature. Shortly after the Big Bang, only basic elements were formed, and it required extreme conditions in the cores of the first stars to manufacture heavier elements.
 

After the most massive stars exploded, their cores were scattered across the first galaxies and enriched the next generations of stars. This star dust provided key ingredients to the formation of solar systems, planets, moons, asteroids and comets. As time flowed, suitable conditions resulted in the formation of organic molecules and ultimately LIFE.
 

That same material from the cores of dead stars composes the organs in our body, the blood in our veins, and the neurons in our brain that helped us to reveal this connection between humans and the universe – this cosmic perspective. We are not only a part of this universe, but what is more poetic, is that the universe itself is in every one of us.
 

It is thanks to the past generations of exploding stars that we are here today, and can listen to some of the most amazing music compositions, cherish the art pieces created over the history, and admire the beauty of Earth, its environment and the organisms with which we share this planet. Keep this in mind next time you look up to marvel at the night sky.

The Golden Records are in a sense time capsules – our legacy drifting through space. And they represent us – our culture, languages, greetings and customs, the sounds of nature, and the beauty of our planet.

Yet more importantly, they resemble the connection between all people – as one humanity. Today, when we as a species face the decisive challenges, the songs from Golden Records remind us who we are, where we came from and that we should treat the Earth and one another with care.

I want to thank Brenda Vongova and the UN Chamber Music Society – an amazing group of musicians, for organizing today’s remarkable concert. As was once said by Pablo Casals, “Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart.”

I wish you a wonderful and memorable evening.

REMARKS BY MR RICHARD BLEWITT

OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES DELEGATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS

on the occasion of the UN Chamber Music Society Concert for Australia

New York, 18 January 2020

Good evening ladies and gentlemen,

First, I would like to thank Ambassador Fifield, the Permanent Mission of Australia and the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council for organizing this beautiful night of music and show of solidarity.

On behalf of the Australian Red Cross, I would like to thank each and every one of you for your support and solidarity.

Since the bushfires began in July of last year, more than 7 million hectares of land have been burned, at least 28 people have lost their lives, almost 2,500 properties have been destroyed and up to 1 billion animals are feared to have died. Whole towns have been evacuated and the smoke, ash and dust from the fires is blanketing cities across the country, compromising air quality, and causing respiratory and health issues.

In the face of this devastating situation, the Australian Red Cross has and will continue to be there to provide relief and recovery. Since July:

• More than 1,900 Red Cross staff and volunteers have mobilized to respond to more than 20 bushfires and support people in 103 relief and evacuation centres;
• The location of more than 52,000 people has been registered in an effort to reunite them with their loved ones
• Immediate needs like food, water and other relief items are being provided along with long-term support in the form of cash grants for people who have lost their homes to the bushfires;
• Psychological first aid is being provided to reduce trauma and distress and welfare checks are being conducted on the phone and in person;

The reality is that this situation will continue for months compounded by drought and extreme heat. Fires across Victoria and New South Wales are estimated to continue to burn until March 2020 and from experience, the Red Cross knows that recovery from disasters such as this can take years. However, there is hope. We have seen unprecedented generosity from around the world in support of the nationwide response. More than 60 million Australian dollars have been raised in support of the Australian Red Cross and they are planning for the long-term by investing in a tailored recovery program for the next three years.

I would like to close with the words of my colleague and friend Judy Slater, CEO of the Australian Red Cross:

“My family, along with so many other Australians, will continue our treks to the impacted communities we love. The landscape won’t be the same. It will be emotional. There will be confronting signs of this disaster. We will listen to stories of survival, we will do our part to help in the healing. We will see familiar and new faces, who are rebuilding and recovering. We will see Red Cross people. The same ones who dropped everything, cancelled holidays, to help fellow Australians. They will remain there for as long as it takes, for as long as needed.”

As we continue to witness worrying scenes of disaster and destruction caused by the Australian bushfires, remember this message of hope and the power of humanity that continues to be on display by the Red Cross.

Once again, thank you for being here tonight and thank you for your unwavering support.

H.E. Mr. Maged Abdelfattah Abdelaziz,
Permanent Observer for the League of Arab States to the United Nations

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Remarks at the UNITED NATIONS CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY CONCERT on World Arabic Language Day

The Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 18 December 2019

Excellencies,

Dear friends,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for joining us today to celebrate the “World Arabic Language Day”, a dear occasion to each and every speaker of our beautiful Arabic language…the language of civilization… of culture…of harmony…of co-existence… and most of all the language of peace.

أصحاب السعادة

الأصدقاء الإعزاء

السيدات والسادة

            أود أن أتقدم لكم بالشكر على تشريفكم لنا فى إحتفالنا باليوم العالمى للغة العربية. تلك المناسبة الغالية لكل متحدث بلغتنا العربية الجميلة... لغة الحضارة... لغة الثقافة.. لغة التجانس.. لغة التعايش.. وفوق كل شئ لغة السلام.

The Arabic language has been the corner stone for the establishment of the “League of Arab States” in 1945, and to its evolvement to comprise 22 countries from North Africa and South West Asia, connected by unique common heritage that enriched humanity at large over the years, despite the many crises situations that Arab countries suffered from, some of them regrettably exist up till now.

            لقد شكلت اللغة العربية حجر الأساس فى إقامة جامعة الدول العربية فى عام 1945، وفى تطورها ونموها لتضم الآن 22 دولة من شمال إفريقيا وجنوب غرب آسيا، يجمعها تراث مشترك فريد، أثرى التراث العالمى على مر السنين، على الرغم من الأزمات العديدة التى عانت منها الدول العربية، والتى يظل بعضها قائماً حتى الآن للأسف.

The Arab music is an essential component of our Arab language, and of our Arab identity, and the diversity you see in today’s program is only a reflection of our firm belief that diversity is a source of strength, in instruments, in artists, in rhythms and in tones, and most of all in connecting Arab music to other musics wherever they are in the world.

   لاشك أن الموسيقى العربية تشكل أحدى المكونات الرئيسية للغتنا وهويتنا العربية. ولعل ما تشهدونه من تنوع فى برنامج حفلنا اليوم يعكس لكم إيماننا الراسخ بأن التعددية والتنوع هما مصدر من مصادر القوة، في الآلات الموسيقية، في الموسيقيين، في الألحان والإيقاع، وفوق كل ذلك في ربط الموسيقى العربية مع باقي الموسيقات في العالم إينما وجدت.

I would like, therefore, to thank the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council (UNCMS), in association with Edge of Arabia , and to thank in particular Ms. Brenda Vongova, the founder and artistic director, for organizing this celebration, and to thank each and every member of this wonderful and diverse orchestra, for all their efforts to enhance Arabic cultural heritage through music,  and to re-emphasize the role of the United Nations and its specialized agencies in keeping the common heritage of mankind, in particular in our contemporary Arab world.

            ولذا فإنني أود أن أتقدم بالشكر لمجمع موسيقى الغرفة بالأمم المتحدة، المنبثق عن مجلس الأنشطة الترفيهية لموظفي الأمم المتحدة، بالتنسيق مع منظمة Edge of Arabia ، وبصفة خاصة السيدة بريندا فونجوفا، المؤسسة والمديرة الفنية، على تنظيم هذه الاحتفالية، وأن أشكر كل عضو في هذه الفرقة الموسيقية الرائعة والمتنوعة، على كافة مجهوداتهم لتعزيز التراث الثقافي العربي من خلال الموسيقى، وأن أعاود التأكيد على دور الأمم المتحدة ووكالاتها المتخصصة في الحفاظ على التراث العالمي للإنسانية، خاصة في عالمنا العربي المعاصر.

Happy World Arabic Language Day.

كل عام وأنتم بخير بمناسبة اليوم العالمي للغة العربية.

Enjoy the show.

أرجوا أن تستمتعوا بالعرض.

The secretary-general

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Message to United Nations Chamber Music Society Concert for the Bahamas

New York, 20 October 2019

It is a pleasure to greet all those gathered for this concert in support of the people of the Bahamas following the devastating Hurricane Dorian.  I commend the United Nations Chamber Music Society for its initiative.

I visited the Bahamas last month, and was startled and saddened by what I saw: hospitals in ruins; schools turned to rubble; people coping with the loss of their loved ones, homes and communities. 

The impacts of today’s turbo-charged hurricanes and storms are falling most heavily on countries, such as the Bahamas, with the lowest greenhouse emissions, and on the poorest and most vulnerable people in those countries. 

I thank all of you, and the Chamber Music Society, for your commitment to climate action, to helping people in need and to advancing the values of the United Nations. 

Please accept my best wishes for a memorable evening.

UNICEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HENRIETTA FORE
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MESSAGE TO THE UN CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY CONCERT
FOR THE BAHAMAS
DELIVERED BY UNESCO REPRESENTATIVE, DAVID MATERN

New York, 20 October 2019

Ambassador Carey, Ambassador Sherman-Peter, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, dear Brenda,

As Ambassador Carey reminded us, Hurricane Dorian carved a terrible path of death and destruction across the Bahamas. The storm left a country shaken; families mourning loved ones; people deprived of their livelihoods; parts of the country with badly damaged infrastructure; and survivors, among them thousands of traumatized children.

Together with UN sister agencies, UNICEF sprang quickly into action to support the Government’s relief efforts. From our regional warehouse in Panama, we immediately shipped urgently needed water and sanitation supplies, including six water tanks (of 5,000 litres capacity each), 1,000 jerry cans for 500 families and 100 packs of water purification tablets, which we handed over to four clinics caring for around 5,000 people in four communities.

And our work continues. UNICEF is now actively supporting the Government’s recovery plan. Our collective aim is to bring 10,000 displaced children back to school, thus ensuring that the storm does not have lasting effects on the learning and future development of these children. To this end, UNICEF has already provided 120 recreational kits for affected schools and trained 65 school counsellors, psychologists and pre-school teachers who are now carefully reinserting children into the learning environment of their schools.

The donations that you, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, make available today will be used to sustain these important education and psycho-social activities.

I want to thank you Brenda and the wonderful musicians of the UN Chamber Music Society for organizing today’s beautiful concert. Through music, you have allowed us listeners to reflect on the ‘nature of the universe’. We are about to witness a musical transformation from ‘peace and quiet to a raging storm’, before we experience ‘hope’ again. It is this hope which inspires us in UNICEF and which – thanks to your generous support today – we can help rebuild for the children in the Bahamas.

I thank you. 

Message from Luis Alfonso de Alba,
Special Envoy of the Secretary-General fo the Climate Change Summit 2019
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 8 October 2019

 

Excellencies,
Ladies & Gentleman,

I had been very much looking forward to this evening and I am sorry that I cannot be there in person.

Last month the United Nations Secretary-General hosted a Climate Action Summit where leaders of countries and leaders of multinational companies were invited to put forward their plans for how they intend to respond to the climate crisis.

 

What is very clear is that as the world increasingly turns its attention to addressing and overcoming the existential challenges that humanity faces, we are going to have to come together to find common solutions and make the most of common opportunities. And we are going to have to show solidarity with those most impacted.
 

If we are to have any hope of taking action at the ambition and scale needed to succeed, we will have to set aside our differences. We will have to focus on what binds us rather than divides us.
 

Since the dawn of civilization and even before that, nothing has had more power to bring people together than the arts. And among the arts, no medium has the power that music has to communicate so clearly, unambiguously and effectively, and to do so without words and without misunderstanding.

Music has a wonderful ability to transcend barriers such as language and geography and remind us of our common humanity.

The themes of this evening - water, wind, air, fire and earth – represent very clearly in my mind the scope of the problems that we face. But at the same time these primordial elements of nature also hold the keys to our survival.

I am optimistic that by reminding ourselves that we are not separate or detached from nature, we will do what is needed to secure a prosperous future for ourselves and for the generations yet to come.

Music can play an important part in this process of grounding and renewal.

Thank you and enjoy your evening.

Message to the UN Chamber Music Society from the Rector-Archpriest of Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris, Monsignor Patrick Chauvet 

12 April 2019

Dear all,

It is very heartwarming for me to see this friendship on the other side of the ocean.  I knew I could count on you and your help.

The Cathedral is a sign of our friendship with the UN and as soon as I will be able to, I will come to you to reaffirm my affinity to this friendship.

Thank you for everything.

In communion, 
Mgr. Patrick Chauvet

Message from Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of the  UN Chamber Music Society Concert to Honour the Legacy of the Notre-Dame Cathedral
Delivered by UNESCO Representative to the UN, Ricardo de Guimarães Pinto

New York, 9 May 2019

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very touched to address you on behalf of the Director-General of UNESCO, Ms. Audrey Azoulay, who has asked me to represent her tonight on behalf of our Organization.

We are all heartbroken as we recall the images of the devastating fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral. Notre-Dame has been for centuries a powerful and globally-known symbol through its exceptional architecture, its spiritual role, its place in history, its literary and artistic heritage. It is this universal value that UNESCO recognized and honoured by inscribing Notre-Dame on the World Heritage List in 1991, as part of the site “Paris, Banks of the Seine”.

This terrible event, as with all of the priceless losses and destruction that have too often marked our recent history, is an opportunity to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the protection of heritage. The shock, sadness and extraordinary outpouring of support following the fire at Notre-Dame shows just how valuable these places are. It also demonstrates in powerful terms the mobilizing force of heritage. It is a link that connects us across borders and between communities, and gives us the stable foundation needed for building our common future.

France has always been particularly active in supporting UNESCO’s mission to safeguard heritage. UNESCO stands by France's side in safeguarding and rehabilitating this invaluable heritage.

Director-General Audrey Azoulay immediately expressed the support of the international community to France as she quickly arrived at the site the evening of the fire. The following day, the UNESCO Executive Board made an unprecedented declaration of international support, later presented to the President of the Republic of France, Emmanuel Macron.

UNESCO is ready to deploy an emergency response mission to Notre-Dame, to support the authorities in their efforts to evaluate the damage, stabilize the structure and prevent further deterioration of this priceless monument.

 

Protecting and preserving the world's cultural heritage is at the heart of UNESCO’s mandate.  Since 2015, UNESCO has deployed emergency missions to more than 50 countries around the world to safeguard and rehabilitate heritage following disasters: just last month, UNESCO’s World Heritage Fund provided funding to Ethiopia to respond to the devastating fires at Simien National Park, a World Heritage site that serves as a crucial habitat for several endangered species.

 

In Iraq, UNESCO is also striving to revive the Spirit of Mosul by rebuilding its historic Old City and reinvigorating its cultural life and educational institutions.

 

For us and for future generations, we have a responsibility to ensure that our past can be the guiding light for our future.

UNESCO Director-General welcomes this initiative organized by the United Nations Chamber Music Society, which stands as a symbol of global cultural solidarity.

It is a wonderful example of international cooperation through our UN family and with the New York City community, to overcome our shared tragedies together.

I thank you and wish you, on behalf of the Director-General, an excellent concert.

UN Chamber Music Society Concert to honour the legacy of the Notre-Dame cathedral

Statement by Ms. Anne Gueguen, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations,  on behalf of H.E. Mr. François Delattre, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations

New York, 9 May 2019

 

Dear friends from the United Nations and from the foreign Missions,
Dear Brenda Vongova and member of the UN Chamber Music Society,

Ladies and gentlemen,
 

I am both deeply moved and very honoured to be here tonight, and to deliver remarks on behalf of Ambassador François Delattre, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations. He sends his warmest regards and deepest regrets not to be with us.

To see you gathered here to celebrate Notre-Dame de Paris touches all French hearts. It is truly uplifting. It is an illustration that Notre-Dame is far more than a 850 year-old French treasure, that it has meaning beyond our borders.  In today’s edition of the New York times, the chief of the Paris bureau of the paper wrote that “Parisian grief was universal and ecumenical”, and your presence today is testimony to that.

 

We were all shocked to see the cathedral in flames and its spire collapsing on April 15th. Many of us cried when the news hit. It was so sudden. Accounts of that night are full of silent weeping. One thousand years burning in one night aches and it will continue to haunt us. There are of course many layers to our collective and personal sense of grief.

 

Notre Dame is an astonishing Gothic masterpiece. It is a magnificent house of worship with special significance for Catholics, and the shrine of historical relics.  It is the heart of Paris and the epicentre of France, the origin of all its roads. It is also a special witness of France’s History, of major moments – happy or unfortunate, and the place where the Nation gathered on particular occasions: end of wars, funerals of national figures. It is a core part of our cultural heritage, and the main character of Victor Hugo’s famous novel. As the romantic author would put it, we can say that Notre-Dame is an exceptional book of stones that tells the universal story of mankind, an ultimate summary and summation of human intelligence and genius throughout history.

 

That is why we were so heartbroken to see a part of us turn to ashes. There was an overwhelming fear of loss, an inescapable sense of our common vulnerability. 
 

But beyond, we have been struck by the outpouring of friendship and solidarity that we have been receiving. We have received countless letters, flowers and donations. We have been particularly touched by the words of our friends at the United Nations, especially by those of the Secretary-General, of the President of the General Assembly and of the Director-General of the UNESCO. We understood with your messages that Notre-Dame is more than a part of French identity, that it is a part of our common world heritage. It belongs to the category of special sacred places across the world that embody the depth of history and testify to humanity’s highest aspirations and achievements. 

 

And in the aftermaths of the fire, we have seen hope, thanks to your support. President Macron said it the very night of the fire: We will rebuild Notre-Dame de Paris. We lost an irreplaceable treasure with the roof of the cathedral, known as “the forest”, dating back from the Middle Ages. But the structure, even if wounded, survived. The cathedral has suffered many disasters in its history, but it always rose from them.
 

We will rebuild Notre-Dame de Paris. And we will do it collectively, thanks to your support. So on behalf of the French government and of the French Mission, let me express our gratitude to you and say a simple word: merci. Your solidarity leaves me confident that we will continue to work hand in hand, not just to rebuild Notre Dame, but to continue building on the values and ideals of the United Nations. 
 

Tonight, to recapture the timeless atmosphere of the cathedral, we will have the pleasure of listening to the UN Chamber Music Society, under the direction of Brenda Vongova, whom I would like to thank warmly, as well as all the musicians who will play tonight. They will interpret a selection of pieces that are inherently linked to the rich musical history of Notre-Dame de Paris, from the composers of the 12^th century Notre Dame school of polyphony, to the more recent Hunchback of Notre-Dame. 

 

As Victor Hugo emphasized, “music expresses that which cannot be put into words, and that which cannot remain silent.”

Thank you for your generosity, your friendship, and your support.

 

I wish you a nice evening.

 

https://onu.delegfrance.org/Concert-to-honour-the-legacy-of-the-Notre-Dame-cathedral-We-will-rebuild-Notre

         

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
H.E. MS. MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOSA GARCÉS 
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MESSAGE ON THE OCCASION OF THE UN CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY
CONCERT TO HONOUR THE LEGACY OF THE NOTRE-DAME CATHEDRAL
Delivered by Mark Seddon

New York, 9 May 2019

Mrs. Anne Gueguen, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations,

Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO,
Ms. Brenda Vongova, Artistic Director and all members of the United Nations Chamber Music Society,

Ladies and Gentleman,

 

I am very sorry that I cannot be with you this evening. I am currently in Ghana, having earlier travelled to Chad and to Nigeria. However, I am very definitely with you in spirit.

 

There are totemic times in each of our lives when we live through history and never forget where we were long afterwards. The day of the terrible fire at Notre Dame Cathedral and the shocking sight of the collapse of the iconic spire in flames is one such day.

 

I shall never forget it.

 

The global response and the reaction in France to this national tragedy has been profoundly moving. The desire to rebuild and restore Notre Dame has seized the public imagination.

 

Today, we send solidarity and support from the United Nations here in New York to the people of Paris and France. We do so courtesy of our wonderful United Nations Chamber Music Society and we thank Brenda Vongova and her fellow musicians for their initiative. And need I remind you that all proceeds from this event will go towards the reconstruction of Notre Dame via UNESCO.

 

Notre Dame Cathedral is already rising from the ashes! Let us do what we can to help it do so.

Thank you and please enjoy the evening!

Message from Maestro Jaap van Zweden and Aaltje van Zweden

UN Chamber Music Society
Music Therapy Concert

Carnegie Hall, 15 January 2019

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On this very special evening, Aaltje and I send our warmest greetings and congratulations to all connected with the United Nations Chamber Music Society, Music Therapy Concert. We commend the UN Chamber Music Society, which helps to promote the universal values of the United Nations, for its belief in the power of the arts to heal, and for dedicating this concert to music therapy.

We know from first-hand experience with our son Benjamin the power of music and music therapy, and music’s ability to reach the heart and soul more directly than words can. Our work in music therapy with autistic children and young adults for the Papageno Foundation over the last 20 plus years has taught us so much, and we share with all of you the belief in the power of music therapy and healing. 

We especially congratulate Dr. Gabriel Sara of the Helen Sawaya Fund and the Philharmonic’s Associate Principal Cello Eileen Moon-Myers, along with many other New York Philharmonic colleagues playing tonight (Michelle Kim, Qianqian Li, Cong Wu, Patrick Jee, Nathan Vickery), in taking the actions they have in understanding and acting on the importance of music in healing. 

This special concert for Music Therapy is also a tribute to the Mount Sinai Health System in understanding the connection of body, mind and soul. This is a wonderful project, and we send our best wishes and congratulations to all!

The secretary-general

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Message to UN Chamber Music Society Benefit Concert

for Rohingya Refugees

Baruch Performing Arts Center, New York, 25 June 2018

It is a pleasure to greet all those attending this benefit event.

Since August last year, more than 700,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh, seeking refuge from violence and persecution. The Government and the people of Bangladesh have opened their borders and welcomed these refugees in their hour of need. Bangladeshi non-governmental organizations such as BRAC, as well as UN agencies and international NGO partners, have also provided life-saving assistance and protection.

For the 1.3 million refugees and host community families, many of whom are themselves living on the edge, the needs are enormous. Each day, just to survive, they require more than 16 million litres of clean drinking water and 400 tonnes of food. Over half of those in need of help are children.

Music is a universal language.  So are acts of kindness.  I thank the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations, as well as the UN Chamber Music Society, BRAC and all those who have made today’s event possible for translating music into much needed support for the Rohingya people and the host communities of Bangladesh.

Please accept my best wishes for a memorable evening.

UN Chamber Music Society - Holiday Benefit Concert

Opening Remarks by Mr. Ty McKeiver, Chief of Staff NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs
New York, 3 December 2017

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Evening.  I am Ty McKeiver, and on behalf of the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, it is my honor to welcome you here to All Saints Episcopal Church this evening.  I wish to express sincere thanks to Reverend Steven Yagerman, for kindly hosting this concert at this beautiful venue.  Tonight, the musicians of the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council are bringing us together for a wonderful Holiday Concert benefitting the fight against hunger.  I commend the UN Chamber Music Society for dedicating this evening to New Yorkers in need – and helping to promote the universal values of the United Nations.

Mayor de Blasio and my office take great pride in our role as host city to the United Nations and the largest diplomatic community in the world, with 193 Missions and 114 consulates.  Our city’s diversity is our strength and the UN community comes to our city from across the globe, just like so many New Yorkers.  New York City doesn’t only benefit from the physical presence of the United Nations headquarters, just a few blocks away. My office provides a global platform from which New York City exchanges best practices with the international community to achieve a shared vision of a more sustainable, equitable city and planet.

We know that cities are on the forefront of addressing some of humanity’s toughest problems – problems like poverty and income inequality, affordable housing, discrimination, climate change, and an issue that we are tackling today at this Concert: hunger and food insecurity.  In April 2015, Mayor de Blasio committed New York City to OneNYC, a ground breaking strategic plan for inclusive and sustainable growth.  This strategy took stock of New York City’s significant challenges and charted a path forward to achieving goals such as lifting 800,000 New Yorkers out of poverty, expanding access to nutritious and affordable foods, and ensuring that those on the front lines of climate change – often the most vulnerable New Yorkers – are protected against its risks.

But we understand that we can’t do it alone; that we must do more; and that we must work together to transform our world.  So through organizations like the Food Bank for New York City, which was founded nearly 35 years ago with the mission to end hunger, approximately 350,000 children, the working poor, immigrants, the elderly, and people with disabilities, receive meals and are supported by other resources needed to survive.

And tonight, through the universal language of music, the UN Chamber Music Society symbolizes our firm belief in the power of the arts in bringing people and nations together for a common cause – to fight against hunger. Founded in January 2016 by Brenda Vongova, the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council is a group of accomplished musicians and admirers of classical chamber music within the international community.  The performances by the UN Chamber Music Society are dedicated to promoting the UN goals at large through their creative power to move audiences and help promote the universal values of the United Nations.

As Mayor de Blasio said recently, the values that New Yorkers hold dear – inclusion, diversity, creative freedom, and cultural expression – make this city the cultural capital of the world.  Tonight, we are delighted to be dazzled by their melodies and exciting musical arrangements.  Please join me in welcoming the UN Chamber Music Society!

Alan Gilbert Opening Remarks

UN Chamber Music Society
NEW WORLD CONCERT

Bohemian National Hall, New York, 4 May 2017

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today’s concert by the musicians of the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council reflects two of my greatest aspirations.  The first is associated with the UN, an organization I greatly admire for its decades of acting on the belief that what all of humanity has in common is far more powerful and far more important than any differences of culture, ethnicity, religion, or nationality.

The second is that this performance was conceived to complement The New World Initiative, one of the ways that the New York Philharmonic is celebrating our 175^th anniversary season by saluting New York City and its role as our home.  We have invited all musicians throughout the city – professionals, amateurs, and students – to unite through performances of Dvořák’s Symphony No.9, From the New World, or through their own interpretations of it.

The great Czech composer’s powerful and passionate symphony is the perfect centrepiece for this celebration, and not only because of the place it holds in the Philharmonic’s legacy, as the first work we premiered that went on to become a central part of the symphonic repertoire.  This masterpiece, composed in New York, is quintessentially of New York in the way it blends the Old World with the New by incorporating folk elements from both Europe and America.  In this way the symphony speaks both to our citywide project and to the peaceful and mutually enriching fusion of cultures that the UN has always promoted.

I commend the UN Chamber Music Society for dedicating this evening to the Czech Republic and The New World Initiative, and for helping to promote the universal values of the United Nations.  Through the universal language of music, the Society echoes our own firm belief in the power of the arts to bring people and nations together.

I also wish to express sincere thanks to Her Excellency Ambassador Marie Chatardová, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations, for her kind support and patronage of this concert.

By Katarina Mansson