Polar Music Prize 2019
Paris, 13 February 2019
The International Music Council is both honoured and pleased to collaborate this year again with the Polar Music Prize organisation. The values promoted by the Polar Music Prize strongly echo with our own values that are embodied in the IMC Five Music Rights, which advocate for access to music education and musical participation as well as freedom of expression through music for every child and adult while defending the right of musical artists to be recognised as artists, to obtain fair remuneration for their work and to be given access to professional training, media and work facilities.
This year’s laureates of the Polar Music Prize embody our shared values in an exemplary way.
We are particularly happy to see the work of the Play for Music Foundation recognised today. This non-profit organisation provides music and arts education to unprivileged children around the world. It operates music programmes in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ghana, Mali, Nepal, Rwanda, South Africa, Morocco, Mexico, Argentina and Thailand.
Thanks to the Play for Music Foundation, music schools came into live in impoverished regions. It is important to note that these schools use local resources and local talent in their daily work. Every week, over 1,000 students enjoy the music lessons offered by the schools.
For many children benefitting from the programme, this has been a life-changing experience. Music has transformed their lives. What a wonderful demonstration of the power of music!
With this recognition, the Polar Music Prize acknowledges the tremendous work of the many other initiatives and projects that aim to transform the lives of underprivileged children by offering access to music and the arts.
The International Music Council is proud to accompany the Polar Music Prize organisation in this endeavour.