U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and YouTube’s Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen announced today a new Department of State-YouTube partnership in support of the Department’s Global Music Diplomacy Initiative. This initiative aims to elevate music as a diplomatic platform to promote peace and democracy, aligning with the United States’ broader foreign policy goals.
At the core of this partnership is a roster of U.S. Global Music Ambassadors, which builds on the legacy of the Jazz Ambassadors from the 1950s and 1960s. The ambassadors aim to promote peace across generations worldwide.
The U.S. Global Music Ambassadors include American music artists who have demonstrated excellence in their field and a commitment to promoting peace. They are Chuck D, Grace Bowers, BRELAND, Kane Brown, Herbie Hancock, Denyce Graves, Jelly Roll, Teddy Swims, Justin Tranter, Armani White, and Lainey Wilson.
In addition to introducing these ambassadors, the Department and YouTube will collaborate to enhance English language learning through music on the YouTube platform. This partnership will support opportunity and equity in the creative economy through engagements with audiences and aspiring creators in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, and India.
The initiative will also offer micro-grants to State Department exchange program alumni globally who use music to expand access to education and economic opportunities while promoting equity and inclusion. Furthermore, it aims to raise awareness about the unifying power of music during global events such as the G20 meetings in Brazil later this year.
This partnership was catalyzed by the bipartisan Promoting Peace, Education And Cultural Exchange (PEACE) Through Music Diplomacy Act signed into law by President Biden. The act called for public-private partnerships with American companies and nonprofits to use music as a means for conveying American leadership globally and creating connections worldwide.
As part of the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, this partnership builds on various public diplomacy exchanges and programs that promote peace and foster cross-cultural connections supporting broader U.S. foreign policy goals.
For more information about the Department’s music diplomacy efforts visit www.state.gov/music-diplomacy or contact ECA-Press@state.gov.
