Ali-Zadeh: UNESCO's Artist for Peace

1st April 2008

Azerbaijani composer and pianist Franghiz Ali-Zadeh is the most recent musician nominated to represent the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Ali-Zadeh begins her two-year tenure as Artist for Peace at a ceremony at UNESCO's Paris headquarters on 3 April.

The designation will focus on Ali-Zadeh's efforts "to raise public awareness on musical education for orphans and children in need, her contribution to spreading UNESCO's message of peace and tolerance, and her dedication to the ideals and aims of the Organization."

Ali-Zadeh composes works that combine traditional music of her country — in particular, a genre known as the mugham — with contemporary music.