JMI kicks off its celebrations for 75 Years of Making a Difference Through Music!

2020 marked 75 years since Marcel Cuvelier (Belgium) and René Nicoly (France) joined forces to create Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI), today the largest youth music NGO in the world. JMI's mission to "enable young people to develop through music across all boundaries" has seen the organization grow across five continents with 70+ members outreaching 6 million young people, aged 13 - 30, every year. JMI does this through over 40.000 activities year on year - using the power of music to bridge social, geographical, racial and economic divides and creating a platform for intercultural dialogue.

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing COVID crisis, it was not possible to celebrate this momentous occasion with a live gathering and the full program of celebrations has had to be postponed to next year.

Howeverm on Friday 4th at 18:00, JMI’s 75 Years celebrations were kickstarted with a livestream event, which showcased the diversity of youth, talents and genres that characterise JMI’s programs and reflected on the difficult year that has passed, with renewed hope for the future.

The program lineup included:

• Rosemarie Duval-Laplante & Jean-Michel Dubé, Canada (Classical)
• JMI President's Address: Jessie Westenholz
• Body Rhythm Factory, Denmark (YAM: Young Audiences Music)
• Ananda Miranda and Vinícius Motta, Brazil (Ethno)
• Sun Yaoqi, Suzhou Chinese Orchestra (Erhu)
• Hear Us Choir, Malawi (Music Crossroads)
• Keynote: Barbara Gessler, EC Creative Europe Head of Unit
• Denfima, France (Imagine Music Experience)
• Saraima Navara, Australia (Ethno)
• Siyasanga Charles, South Africa (JM Jazz World)
• Keynote: Islam Eleiti, Sudan
• Rula Barghouthi & Duna Fawakhiri, Jordan (EAYMC)
• Faith Mussa, Malawi (Fair Play)

The event was attended by a virtual audience of over a thousand people (young musicians, JMI Alumni, cultural organisers, representatives of cultural and youth network and organizations, etc.) from all corners of the globe.

At the same time, JMI launched a new website fully dedicated to the history of the organization and its 75th Anniversary. The website is calls on current and former members, alumni and participants of international programs to share their experiences and memories and to contribute to enriching JMI official timeline.

While celebrations will resume next year, the JMI History Project will continue with the creation of an animated story, comprehensive archive research and interviews with several historical figures who shaped and influenced the organization over the years. In the meantime, a facebook group dedicated to JMI Alumni will bring together even more people and insights on the organization’s remarkable story.

The launch event with all keynotes and performances is available online on JMI’s media channels:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JMInetwork/videos/232310588322158
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRo_u08N1XY