Jazz has inspired some great writing. And this.
In November 2011, during the UNESCO General Conference, the international community proclaimed 30 April as “International Jazz Day”. This International Day will bring together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts all over the world to celebrate and learn about the art of jazz, its roots, its future and its impact. This important international art form will be celebrated for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity, and respect for human rights and human dignity, eradicating discrimination, promoting freedom of expression, fostering gender equality, and reinforcing the role of youth for social change.
Yes, hepcats, the UN is digging jazz like never before.
By celebrating International Jazz Day, UNESCO intends to:
- Celebrate the unique musical style that jazz represents!
- Raise international awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding;
- Mobilize the intellectual community, decision-makers, cultural entrepreneurs, cultural and educational institutions and the media to promote jazz-related values as a vector of UNESCO’s mandate, pioneering role and intellectual mission;
- Reinforce international cooperation and communication in the field of jazz music.
I’d devote a bit more time to mocking this (especially that exclamation mark) but as the album cover at the top of the post demonstrates, there’s a long history of jazz-multilateral-policy fusion. Long may it continue. Just try to keep the syncopated rhythms a little further away from the UN bullet points…
