Countering terrorism with music: The World Orchestra for Peace at UNESCO in Paris

On Monday 16 November, an extraordinary event took place at the Paris headquarters of UNESCO, the world guardians of culture, heritage, science and education.

Some 23 string players of the World Orchestra for Peace - leading players of 21 orchestras, representing 16 nationalities - defied the odds and came together after the terrorist atrocities of Friday 13th, to prove (in the words of their founder, the conductor Sir Georg Solti) "the unique power of music as an ambassador for peace".

Charles Kaye

The event was originally planned as the climax of celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of UNESCO. Then came the terrorist attacks in Paris.

I sent a message to Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, in the early hours of Saturday morning, saying: "All of us remain ready to get on our respective planes and trains tomorrow if we are permitted, and play our part, as planned, in delivering with you through our music a message of peace on Monday. What better signal can we send the world that terrorism will not stop our efforts for peace?"

Despite a clear directive from the French authorities that all theatres, concert halls and sports stadia would remain closed for three days, Bokova was able to get agreement that the UNESCO event would be granted an exception – with the understanding that the programme would be changed from one of celebration to one of dedication, to the memory of those killed and their families.

Bertrand and Vincent Cervera

Tonight has restored my faith in humanity and the power of music to heal

Vincent Cervera

The opening work was Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, and was led by Bertrand Cervera, concertmaster of the Orchestre National de France. His 25-year-old son Vincent, a Paris firefighter, was amongst those first to be called to the Bataclan concert hall shootings on Friday 13th.

Despite his traumatic experience that night, he came to UNESCO 72 hours later, to listen to the tribute event and afterwards told the musicians: "Tonight has restored my faith in humanity and the power of music to heal."

Irina Bokova’s moving address, which followed, can be seen and heard on this page, along with the closing minutes of the documentary From War to Peace, where Valery Gergiev, the orchestra’s conductor since Solti’s death, explains what makes this orchestra so special.

The World Orchestra for Peace has performed regularly at the BBC Proms over the past 15 years and the full documentary charts the story of the orchestra and its UNESCO Concert for Peace at the 2014 BBC Proms.