About
Since her solo debut at age 11, violinist Midori has established a record of achievement which sets her apart as a master musician, an innovator, and a champion of the developmental potential of children. In 1992, Midori founded Midori & Friends, a non-profit organization that brings music education programmes to thousands of underprivileged children each year. Two other organizations, Music Sharing (based in Japan) and Partners in Performance (based in the US), also bring music into the lives of people who may not otherwise have involvement with the arts.
As a Messenger of Peace, Midori continues to inspire young people through music education to build a sense of community and learn from each other.
Focus Area: Youth and the Sustainable Development Goals
Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 represent approximately 18% of the global population, or nearly 1.2 billion people. Many youth remain marginalized from social and economic opportunities, with limited access to essential resources. 87% of the youth population live in developing countries, and nearly 45% of all youth globally live on less than 2 dollars a day. Youth are among the most vulnerable of all persons the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to reach. Whether it is poverty, hunger, lack of education, maternal mortality, unemployment, environmental degradation or HIV/AIDS, the impact on young people can be far greater than on their older counterparts. Therefore, young people’s participation and inclusion in efforts to achieve all of the goals are crucial to ensure a successful and sustainable outcome.