About
One of the most exciting and accomplished classical musicians of our time, Lang Lang began playing the piano at the age of three. He has since then performed for world leaders and worked with the world''s best orchestras and maestros, and has used his art and his ability to inspire audiences around the world to help improve the lives of children everywhere.
In October 2008, he launched the Lang Lang International Music Foundation with a mission to encourage music performance at all levels as a means of social development for youth. The Foundation operates with the conviction that music, as a universal language, can help bridge cultural gaps and unite communities.
Lang Lang has been recognized for his commitment to mobilizing support for improving the lives of children around the world, most notably as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for close to a decade. As a Messenger of Peace, he helps raise awareness of the Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative, in particular fostering global citizenship.
Focus Area: Global Education
Education is a basic human right, not a privilege of the few. It helps pave the way to successful and sustainable livelihoods, benefitting both individuals and societies. Thanks to member states’ commitments to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), great strides have been made in education in recent years. However, over 60 million primary school age children in the world remain out of school.
Recognizing that we must do more and place education at the heart of our social, political and development agendas, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Global Education First Initiative in 2012, with three goals: 1) Putting every child in school, 2) Improving the quality of learning, and 3) Fostering global citizenship.