From: U.S. Department of State

Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
March 4, 2014

The United States welcomes the selection of Osaka, Japan as the Global Host City for International Jazz Day 2014, which will be celebrated April 30.　 Osaka’s jazz scene dates back to the 1920s and remains lively today, making it an ideal focal point for the day’s events, which will include a series of educational programs and performances at the Osaka School of Music and the All-Star Global Concert in Osaka Castle Park featuring internationally-renowned jazz artists from around the world.　

International Jazz Day, a U.S. initiative, was established in 2011 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to celebrate the unifying power of jazz, its history in fostering communication across cultures, and its continuing vitality in all corners of the globe.　 It is chaired by Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, and legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, who serves as a UNESCO Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.　 The Institute is the lead nonprofit organization charged with planning, promoting, and producing this annual celebration.

In addition to the events in Osaka, parallel International Jazz Day events and activities will take place around the world with more information available in the coming weeks.　

Learn more about International Jazz Day at jazzday.com or by following the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #jazzday.

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