Days Until International Jazz Day

About International Jazz Day

April 30 was designated by UNESCO in 2011, at the initiative of jazz musician Herbie Hancock acting as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, recognizing jazz's role in promoting peace, dialogue, and mutual understanding across cultures.

The day features a globally coordinated All-Star Global Concert, with a different host city each year, alongside educational programs and performances organized in many countries.

The inaugural 2012 All-Star Global Concert was held in Paris and New Orleans, and the event has since rotated through host cities on multiple continents, reflecting jazz's global reach well beyond its US origins.

UNESCO's rationale for choosing jazz specifically cited the genre's historical role in breaking down racial and social barriers, tracing its roots to African American communities in the early 20th-century United States.

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock has continued to headline the day's All-Star Global Concert in most years since its founding, giving the event a consistent figurehead performer across its rotating host cities.