Peace through Music Diplomacy

Those of us who grew up during the cold war remember the Berlin Wall, a profound symbol of communist oppression, that surrounded West Berlin.  The city was divided into West Berlin, the free portion of the city, and East Berlin, the capital of the communist country of East Germany.  The wall was erected in 1961 to stanch the flow of East Germans seeking to escape the communist system.  Over the years, many thousands tried to escape and not a few lost their lives in the attempt.  When US President Ronald Reagan said in a speech in 1987, "tear down this wall!" and the Russian leader Mikhael Gorbachev complied in 1989, people across the globe sensed a new breath of freedom in the world. 

Famed American conductor Leonard Bernstein conducted a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on Christmas of the same year. The orchestra and choirs consisted of both Eastern and Western Germany musicians.  A performance of the symphony, directed by the 71-year-old Bernstein can be heard here, a monumental expression of diplomacy through music.   

Diplomacy through music is still alive.  Recently, the United States Congress passed the "PEACE through Music Diplomacy" act.  It aims to promote communication by bringing together young musicians of different cultures and backgrounds. 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn0IS-vlwCI