UNESCO International Jazz Day Celebrates Jazz as a Messenger of Peace and Intercultural Dialogue on April 30
April 30 marks the celebration of UNESCO’s International Jazz Day. In addition to highlighting jazz’s intrinsic artistic value, the day promotes messages of peace, intercultural collaboration and respect for human dignity and human rights. The Finnish Jazz Federation is organizing a week-and-a-half-long Jazz Day campaign, led this year by artists Emilia Sisco and Juhani “Junnu” Aaltonen.
Celebrated annually on April 30, UNESCO’s International Jazz Day honors jazz music and its role as a messenger of intercultural dialogue and peace. In Finland, the celebrations kick off already on April 20 with the Jazz Day campaign, which highlights domestic jazz events and festivities for over a week.
Beyond jazz’s artistic merit, the broader message of the day – intercultural cooperation, peace, and respect for human dignity and rights – is especially timely against the backdrop of current wars. The figurehead of International Jazz Day, legendary pianist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, has aptly described the essence of jazz as follows: “Jazz has hope and solidarity, which we all need right now.”
In 2026, the faces of the Finnish Jazz Federation’s Jazz Day campaign are vocalist Emilia Sisco and saxophonist and flutist Juhani “Junnu” Aaltonen.
Finnish–Zambian singer-songwriter Emilia Sisco is one of the most compelling new voices in Finnish soul. Her music echoes the roots of soul, jazz and blues, while her expression remains fresh and distinctly original. Sisco’s debut album Introducing Emilia Sisco, released in 2024, received international acclaim, and in Finland, Helsingin Sanomat named it among the best domestic debut releases of the year. Following the strong reception of both the album and the artist, Sisco has already performed at several of Finland’s most prominent festivals, including Flow Festival, Provinssi, Ruisrock and the Helsinki Festival.
Juhani “Junnu” Aaltonen is undeniably one of the most significant Finnish saxophonists and flutists, one of the most widely recorded artists in Finland, and a pioneer of Finnish spiritual jazz. Aaltonen is known for his versatility, with an expressive range spanning from classical music to free jazz. He is a founding member of UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra and Tasavallan Presidentti, and has collaborated with legends such as Peter Brötzmann, Jan Garbarek, Andrew Cyrille and Edward Vesala. Aaltonen’s achievements have been recognized with the Yrjö Award from the Finnish Jazz Federation, two Jazz Emma Awards and the State Prize for Music.
Both Sisco and Aaltonen see jazz as an expression of freedom.
“Jazz holds immense diversity and uniqueness. It is exploration. It is dialogue. It is freedom and emotion,” Sisco describes the essence of jazz.
“Jazz is a cry for freedom!” Aaltonen sums up.
International Jazz Day and the Jazz Day Campaign
In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated April 30 as International Jazz Day to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role in uniting people around the world. For over a decade, jazz has been officially recognized as an art form that promotes peace, intercultural dialogue, diversity and respect for human rights and dignity.
International Jazz Day is led by legendary pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, who serves as UNESCO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and chair of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.
In 2026, the Finnish Jazz Federation invites all Finns to join the celebration of UNESCO’s International Jazz Day through the Jazz Day campaign. Instructions for participation can be found on the Jazz Federation’s website here.
Photos: Kai Kuusisto and Maarit Kytöharju