Europe has a long history of artists who use music not merely as entertainment but as a tool for unity, dialogue and justice. These individuals prove that musicians can shape public consciousness, challenge division, and create spaces where peace becomes possible. The MyPEACE initiative stands on the shoulders of this remarkable legacy.
Peter Gabriel (UK): Bridging Worlds Through Sound
Peter Gabriel is widely recognised as one of Europe’s greatest champions of intercultural musical exchange. His creation of WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) in 1982 introduced European audiences to artists from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. WOMAD festivals across Europe gave space to artists whose music rarely reached Western stages, promoting empathy through exposure to global cultures.
Gabriel also co-founded Witness, a human rights organisation using video and storytelling to fight injustice—an early recognition of art as activism.
Zubin Mehta: A Conductor for Peace
Though born in India, Zubin Mehta holds deep European ties through decades of collaboration with orchestras in Vienna, Berlin, Florence and beyond. He frequently conducted for peace-related events, including:
His work shows how classical music can be a meaningful diplomatic tool.
Nigel Osborne (UK): Healing Through Music Therapy
Composer Nigel Osborne has made extraordinary contributions to peacebuilding through music therapy. During the Bosnian war, Osborne worked in Sarajevo to support traumatised children using arts-based therapy. His techniques are now used worldwide and have become a model for humanitarian music therapy programmes.
He has trained European youth workers, teachers and musicians to use music for emotional healing, leaving a legacy that directly connects to MyPEACE’s mission.
Daniel Barenboim: The West-Eastern Divan Legacy
Perhaps no musical initiative embodies cultural dialogue more than the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, founded by Daniel Barenboim and the philosopher Edward Said. While the ensemble includes musicians from across the Middle East, it was nurtured and supported by European cultural institutions—Spain, Germany and the EU in particular.
The orchestra:
Its message is simple: playing music together requires listening, respect and equality.
Why These Artists Matter for MyPEACE
These figures demonstrate that peace is not built only through treaties or policies—it is built through human relationships. Music provides the perfect platform for empathy, storytelling and connection. MyPEACE empowers a new generation to follow this path, using creative expression to shape Europe’s cultural future.
