By IANS,
Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi will host the World Orchestra for Peace Jan 4 that will see performances by a plethora of critically acclaimed international artists, it was announced Wednesday.
The event is being organised as part of the Abu Dhabi Festival 2011 at the Emirates Palace.
Composed of artists drawn from over 62 international orchestras and representing 30 countries, the orchestra was recently designated as Unesco Artist for Peace, the first major orchestra to receive the honour.
Formed in 1995 by late Sir Georg Solti, the orchestra comes together only on special occasions to promote peace.
The 2011 theme of the Abu Dhabi Festival is “Harmony for Humanity”.
“We are thrilled to welcome the celebrated Unesco Artists for Peace Maestro Valery Gergiev and the World Orchestra for Peace to Abu Dhabi, for their debut appearance in the Arab world,” founder and artistic director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo said in a press release.