The global celebration of International Jazz Day 2025 culminates in Abu Dhabi, a UNESCO Creative City of Music
Abu Dhabi, UAE – March 26 2025: The 2025 edition of International Jazz Day 2025 will be celebrated in more than 190 countries on 30 April, with Abu Dhabi selected as the Global Host City. Organized by UNESCO and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, this celebration will feature concerts and educational and cultural initiatives.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this International day on a high note in the UNESCO Creative City of Music Abu Dhabi. This edition will highlight the city’s rich tapestry of creativity and cultural heritage while showcasing jazz’s ability to connect communities and promote dialogue and peace across continents,” declared UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.
Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), a UNESCO City of Music, will serve as a vibrant center of this worldwide celebration, and hosting International Jazz Day highlights Abu Dhabi’s commitment to cultural exchange, education, and diversity, and its role in preserving and expanding the reach of jazz in the region. Presented by DCT Abu Dhabi, a five-week, citywide series of jazz performances, education programmes and community events will take place in the city, including the internationally broadcast International Jazz Day 2025 All-Star Global Concert on April 30th at Etihad Arena, the region’s largest indoor entertainment venue.
His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “As a UNESCO City of Music, hosting International Jazz Day underlines Abu Dhabi’s commitment to cultivating cultural unity, fostering peace and understanding, and celebrating established and emerging musicians and their remarkable talents. Jazz is a powerful tool for global connection and social harmony, and we are proud that our residents and visitors from around the world can experience the unique blend of cultural understanding, creativity and inclusivity that defines the spirit of International Jazz Day.”
Led by iconic pianist Herbie Hancock and hosted by Academy Award-winning actor Jeremy Irons, this concert will bring together an extraordinary lineup of renowned jazz, blues, classical, and hip-hop artists from around the world. Among those set to perform: Arqam Al Abri (UAE), John Beasley (USA), Dee Dee Bridgewater (USA), A Bu (China), Terri Lyne Carrington (USA), José James (USA), Rhani Krija (Morocco), John McLaughlin (UK), Hélène Mercier (France/Canada), Marcus Miller (USA), Linda May Han Oh (Australia), John Pizzarelli (USA), Dianne Reeves (USA), Arturo Sandoval (USA), Naseer Shamma (Iraq), Danilo Pérez (Panama), and Varijashree Venugopal (India). Additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.
“Jazz has always been about bringing people together, breaking barriers, and inspiring creativity across cultures. International Jazz Day reminds us that music has the power to transcend borders, foster dialogue, and spark joy and hope,” according to Herbie Hancock.
Concert tickets are available on Etihad Arena’s website. The concert will also be streamed live to millions around the world via UNTV, UNESCO, jazzday.com, Facebook, YouTube and other international media partners.
International Jazz Day 2025 will feature thousands of events worldwide in small towns and major cities, from intimate performances to large-scale concerts at leading cultural centers. Artists, educators, and institutions across the globe will organize masterclasses, jam sessions, panel discussions, and educational workshops, reflecting the profound impact of jazz as a unifying force.
A full month of events in Abu Dhabi
Building on the momentum of International Jazz Day, Jazz Month Abu Dhabi will extend the global festivities and reinforce jazz’s presence in the region. It will include live performances, pop-up concerts, workshops, artist residencies, and educational events, underscoring jazz’s connections to diverse musical traditions and artistic disciplines.
Activities will be held at major cultural and educational institutions and DCT Abu Dhabi will be partnering with several local and international entities for the occasion. Local programming partners include Abu Dhabi Classics, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, Abu Dhabi Festival by ADMAF, Berklee Abu Dhabi, Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Cultural Foundation, MiZa, The Arts Centre at NYUAD, Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Media Network as the official broadcaster of All-Star Global Concert.
Special performances will highlight jazz’s integration with traditional Arabic instruments such as the oud, qanoon, and ney, showcasing the ongoing dialogue between jazz and local cultural expressions.
This year’s International Jazz Day also coincides with the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, an annual global gathering that brings together a collective of creative thinkers, decision-makers, artists, designers, changemakers, and leaders from the culture and creative industries. The Summit will include panels and conversations with Herbie Hancock and other renowned artists.
To learn more about International Jazz Day 2025 and register events on the official website, visit www.jazzday.com or www.unesco.org/en/international-jazz-day
About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi:
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors and its creative industries, fuelling economic progress and helping to achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions.
By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism.
DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the emirate’s people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.
For more information about the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and the destination, please visit: dct.gov.ae and abudhabiculture.ae
About the International Jazz Day
Established by the General Conference of UNESCO in 2011 and recognized by the United Nations General Assembly, International Jazz Day brings together countries and communities worldwide every 30 April. The annual International Jazz Day celebration highlights the power of jazz and its role in promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity and respect for human dignity.
International Jazz Day has become a global movement reaching more than 2 billion people annually on all continents through education programmes, performances, community outreach, radio, television and streaming, along with electronic, print and social media. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is the lead nonprofit organization charged with planning, promoting and producing International Jazz Day each year.
About UNESCO
With 194 Member States, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization contributes to peace and security by leading multilateral cooperation on education, science, culture, communication and information. Headquartered in Paris, UNESCO has offices in 54 countries and employs over 2300 people. UNESCO oversees more than 2000 World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks; networks of Creative, Learning, Inclusive and Sustainable Cities; and over 13 000 associated schools, university chairs, training and research institutions. Its Director-General is Audrey Azoulay.
“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed” – UNESCO Constitution, 1945.
More information: www.unesco.org
About Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz
The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz preserves, perpetuates and expands jazz as a global art form, and utilizes jazz as a means to unite people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. The Institute is a nonprofit education organization with a mission to offer the world’s most promising young musicians college level training by internationally acclaimed jazz masters and to present public school music education programs for young people around the world.
