Press Conference , in advance of the United Nations Concert, by Lang Lang, UN Messenger for Peace, Manuel Lupez-Gumez, Conductor, and Alexandra Mukiri, a member of the Youth Orchestra from Kenya on the 69th UN Birthday .
Photo: UN Messenger for Peace Lang Lang
“Everybody is playing with everybody for the first time and everyone has something to say [to bring] from their own culture, when they play their instruments together – from Kenya, from Venezuela, from everywhere – from China, from USA. And at the same time we all realize that music brings as much closer, you know, heart to heart, and makes the distance much smaller. And this is why after playing chamber music, after playing four hands music we feel the love.”
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
United Nations, New York, USA, October 24 2014 – Press Conference , in advance of the United Nations Concert, by Lang Lang, UN Messenger for Peace; Manuel Lupez-Gumez, Conductor, and Alexandra Mukiri, a member of the Youth Orchestra from Kenya on the 69th UN Birthday .
On the Photo: Lang Lang (center), Alexandra Mukiri (R), Manuel Lupez-Gumez (L).
Alexandra Mukiri, violinist:
“It’s just amazing how despite the boundaries that there may be, we found a way to communicate, we found a way to bond. We found a way to share these things. And this encourages this message of unity of prosperity and sort of joint happiness if I can say.”Manuel López-Gómez, conductor:
“We are very excited, we feel very honored to be a part of this and to be invited by the Lang Lang foundation to celebrate this wonderful… And as music as the universal language I think it is the best speech for today – do it through the music, with message of love, with the message of peace, of course with the message of union between every country around the world. Thank you very much.”Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
United Nations, New York, USA, October 24 2014 – Photo Opportunity in connection with UN Day Concert.
On the Photo: The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon and wife Yoo Soon-taek, the President of the 69th General Assembly session, Mr. Sam Kutesa
Lang Lang, UN Messenger of Peace, Manuel Lupez-Gumez, Conductor, Alec Baldwin, Representative of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation and the head of DPI Maher Nasser
UN Secretary General :
“Welcome to this celebration of United Nations Day. Happy UN Day! I expect you to call “Happy UN Day” to me! Can you do that? One more time! Thank you; thank you very much for your support.
In these times of despair, a lot of conflicts and troubles, tonight’s concert sounds a note of hope.
The outbreak of the Ebola virus is just the latest proof that our fates are linked. All together, we are living in a small world, totally.
Global challenges demand a global response.
That global response is forged here in the United Nations, in this General Assembly Hall.
It is carried out by the UN and others around the world.
And it succeeds thanks to partnerships with experts, activists and global citizens joining forces for a better future.
One of our best champions is my Messenger of Peace, Lang Lang. Will you just give him a big hand?
I am especially grateful that tonight, he has brought together talented young people from around the world. I thank our Conductor, Maestro Manuel López-Gómez, and all the performers.
We are very much pleased to welcome Lang Lang’s special guest, Sting. It is wonderful to see him back at the United Nations. People are still talking about his performance here in 2012. I am sure tonight will be just as memorable.
All of us are fortunate to be a part of this special evening.
But this celebration is much bigger than the audience in this room.
United Nations Day is a chance to pay tribute to our hardworking staff around the world.
They rush to danger zones. They shelter refugees, feed the hungry people, educate children and foster peace. They defend the vulnerable and demand justice.
Tonight we kick off the 70th anniversary of the United Nations. We will have a much bigger ceremony and celebration next year, today next year. That will be the 70th birthday of the United Nations. I hope you will all join us that day next year.
For seven decades, our UN blue flag has flown over some of the toughest places on earth. It is the flag I saw as a young child when my own country, Korea, was ravaged by Korean war. It gave me hope. The United Nations was a beacon of hope, to me and to all the Korean people. And we were able to survive only with the United Nations’ help. I am very much humbled, even these days, whenever I travel around the world, many people around the world, they see the UN as a beacon of hope. Let us give them all that they need.
Tonight, as we enjoy this concert, let us think of our colleagues in the world’s hot spots and all the people they serve – and let us resolve to advance a life of dignity for all. Let us work together to make this world better for all.
I thank you. Enjoy the concert!”
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire and UN DPI, UNTV.