Clara’s journey from Patagonia, Argentina, to Ireland shows how music can shape migration and create belonging. Drawn to Irish traditional music during her youth, she followed her passion across continents, finding community and purpose in Ireland’s vibrant trad scene. While integrating into Irish culture, Clara maintains her Argentinian roots, blending Latin American styles into her performances and teaching guitar to local children. Her story illustrates how migration allows culture to travel, evolve, and connect people. By sharing her heritage and embracing new traditions, Clara exemplifies how music can bridge worlds, build community, and make a new place feel like home.

Musician George Harrison of The Beatles visited the United Nations in New York on 20 December 1974. He met UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim and briefed the press on his donation of proceeds from concerts to UNICEF. 

As legal battles over AI training and copyrighted material unfold globally, the music industry faces a pivotal moment to balance innovation with fair compensation, while enabling AI’s growth.

Bach’s fight for ownership of his compositions laid the foundation for recognizing music as intellectual property, a legacy now tested by the rise of AI-generated music.

What do music legends George Harrison, Ravi Shankar and ABBA have in common? Over the years, they, along with Jon Batiste, Fleetwood Mac and countless other musicians, have helped change the lives of millions of children. From rock and pop stars to jazz, cabaret and funk prodigies – these musicians, in partnership with UNICEF, have proven that music-led advocacy can drum up compassion for causes once tuned out. And the appeals resonate.

On 18 July 2025, the UN Chamber Music Society will present a virtual concert featuring Grammy-winning South African flautist Wouter Kellerman in celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day.

Music teacher Ahmed Abu Amsha founded “GPS (Gaza’s Peaceful Sounds),” a group of displaced children in Gaza who find hope and resilience through playing instruments amid harsh living conditions.

Once again, it's time to swing into another edition of International Jazz Day (30 April). The 2025 observance is hosted by the city of Abu Dhabi and takes place in over 190 countries. The annual All-Star Global Concert features jazz legend Herbie Hancock, with Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons as the host. This exciting event is broadcast to millions of viewers worldwide through YouTube, Facebook, and UN WebTV. UNESCO encourages schools, universities, and organizations to participate in the celebrations, with various activities and media featuring jazz music happening around the globe.

Celebrating World Steelpan Day (11 August), we acknowledge its cultural and historical significance. The steelpan is a musical instrument originating in Trinidad and Tobago. It is played using a pair of straight sticks tipped with rubber; the size and type of rubber tip varies according to the class of pan being played. Beyond its musical appeal, the steelpan has the potential in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, through its use in sectors such as tourism, culture, education, as well as science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

The city of Tangier, Morocco, hosts the 2024 edition of International Jazz Day. It’s the first time a city in Africa hosts the event. The four-day celebration (April 27-30) highlights Tangier's jazz heritage and the cultural ties between Morocco, Europe, and Africa. The event culminates in an All-Star Global Concert at the Palace of Arts and Culture broadcast worldwide. Tangier has a rich history of jazz, and many world-renowned jazz artists, such as pianist Randy Weston and saxophonists Archie Sheep and Ornette Coleman, have performed in the African city.

Blind since shortly after birth, Stevie Wonder was designated as a UN Messenger of Peace in 2009 with a focus on persons with disabilities. He has advocated for the adoption of the WIPO Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired or have other print disabilities. On the occasion of World Braille Day, Wonder’s messages of accessibility, inclusion, and unification remain a powerful call for global cooperation to support persons of different abilities.

For Iveth, the intersection of singing hip-hop and being a lawyer and human rights activist is seamless, as hip-hop's legacy of using music for protest and advocating change deeply influenced her perspective on social justice.

International Jazz Day raises awareness of the virtues of jazz as a force for peace, unity, dialogue and enhanced cooperation among people. This year’s flagship event is a spectacular All-Star Global Concert, which takes place on 30 April, 4:00p.m. EDT. It features performances by some of the world’s most accomplished jazz artists. The concert is available on UN WebTV, featuring performances in 12 cities simultaneously: from Beijing, Beirut, Casablanca, Johannesburg, Marondera, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Vienna, Fairbanks, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

Water is critical for sustainable development.  The issues of the eradication of poverty and hunger, the lack of access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, drought and climate change – are all related to water. On World Water Day, the UN Chamber Music Society premiered a virtual concert of Archimedes’s Dreams, composed by American composer Evan Fein.

Around the world, women musicians are producing art in the face of the challenges they face in society, whether related to conflict, human rights, climate change, inequality, or simply because of their gender. AmplifyHER is a new UN podcast, where ten inspiring women musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds talk to us about their challenges as women in a male-dominated industry, overcoming barriers, and what drives them to continue creating music. Do not miss an episode!