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The 2021 marks the tenth anniversary of the International Jazz Day. This year’s Jazz Day is dedicated to the history of Namibian jazz and is being celebrated in over 190 countries in online and offline formats, given the COVID-19 sanitary situation.

In a message on the occasion of the International Jazz Day Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, highlighted the universality of jazz music which continues to break down barriers, calls for mutual respect and unites all people, regardless of their background, social status through music and creation.

“More than ever, we need jazz – but jazz also needs us. This day is also an opportunity to express our support for musicians all over the world who have suddenly lost their income as concert venues, clubs and bars have closed,” said Ms Audrey Azoulay.

On 30 April, unesco.org, jazzday.com and the official International Jazz Day Facebook page will provide a range of free virtual education modules, including workshops and seminars by renowned jazz musicians, panel discussions and jam sessions.

The International Jazz Day will culminate with the flagship All-Star Global Concert, hosted by multi-Academy Award winner Michael Douglas from United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The concert will feature performances from world-renowned artists including Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Andra Day, Dee Dee Bridgewater, John McLaughlin, Dianne Reeves and Joe Lovano.

The concert will be streamed live on , and  on April 30 beginning at 5 pm EDT/4 pm CDT (2 am, May 1, Tashkent time).

A full list of events planned around the world can be found at and

Celebration in Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan, the International Jazz Festival, which includes concerts, master classes and jam sessions, has been held since April 2015 at the initiative and under the auspices of UNESCO.

Jazz events are traditionally organized by the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan, the State Philharmonic of Uzbekistan, the Arts and Culture Development Foundation, the Ilkhom Theatre/ Ilkhom Jazz Club, the Municipality of Tashkent City and Embassies, accredited to  Uzbekistan.

In April 2021, as in 2020, the traditional celebration of the International Jazz Festival in Uzbekistan has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the UNESCO Tashkent Office encourages the promotion of jazz in Uzbekistan and supports initiatives of the local jazz community, including the Jazzirama Tashkent Jazz Ensemble (a project of the Ilkhom Jazz Club).

The ensemble is a laureate of international jazz festivals, and a regular participant and co-organizer of the International Jazz Festival in Uzbekistan held under the auspices of UNESCO.

The Jazzirama Tashkent Jazz Ensemble

In 2019, Jazzirama Jazz Ensemble and the Aria Children's Creative Workshop established “Jazz Umidlari” (“Hopes of Jazz”), a music project for children from 4 to 16 years old.

The project participants are children practicing pop and jazz vocals at the Aria workshop, accompanied by professional musicians from Jazzirama and invited musicians. Many of the children are multiple prize winners and laureates of international vocal contests.

The aim of the project “Hopes of Jazz” is to promote jazz music culture in Uzbekistan, to develop an artistic and musical taste of the young generation as well as to create a platform for cooperation between generations of jazz performers.

The project's objectives are in line with the UNESCO mandate in strengthening creative industries and encouraging cultural pluralism. Being an element of the cultural and creative industries, jazz encourages artistic innovation, improvisation, new forms of creativity and reinforces intercultural dialogue. Moreover, jazz enhances the creative potential of young people, placed by UNESCO at the heart of global changes and societal transformations.

Within the “Jazz Umidlari” project, two events are planned in Tashkent: “An Evening of Jazz” which will be held on 8 May  at 6:30 pm at the Ilkhom Theatre of Mark Weil, and an Open Air Concert at the Museum of Applied Arts on 14 May at 6:30 pm.

Contact persons:

Mr Saidmurat Muratov, the Jazzirama band leader, a founder of the Ilkhom Jazz Club: tel.: (+99890) 3725634, e-mail: saidmuratmusic@gmail.com

Mrs Muhayyo Makhmudova, Culture programme specialist of the UNESCO Tashkent Office, tel: 781207116, e-mail: m.makhmudova@unesco.org