UNESCO envoy to propose U.N. youth orchestra

By Kim Young-gyo

SEOUL, Dec. 15 (Yonhap) -- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s designated goodwill ambassador said Monday that he will propose forming a U.N. youth orchestra.

"In October 2009, I am planning to make a proposal to the United Nations to
establish the organization's official youth orchestra," Jose Antonio Abreu said,
speaking through a translator.
"I would like this event to provide an opportunity for young musicians to come
together on a single stage and perform for world peace. I would like to suggest
that this kind of event become regular, rather than just a one-time event," Abreu
said.
The Venezuelan economist and pianist was in Seoul this week with the Simon
Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, run by El Sistema, a publicly financed private-sector
music education program in Venezuela founded by Abreu.
"There are three roles for El Sistema. The first role is to encourage children to
develop artistically, followed by the second, which is to take children away from
street crime," said Abreu.
El Sistema is widely known for giving an alternative to young Venezuelans from
environments plagued by poverty, drug abuse and crime.
"The last goal is to spread similar programs throughout the world, first in South
America and then beyond," he said, adding that there have been already exchange
programs with other South American countries, including Brazil and Ecuador, as
well as some European countries, such as Spain.