Every year, on the occasion of United Nations Day, concerts are organized to celebrate the ideal of universality promoted by the institution through music, this “universal language” as the secretaries-general describe it. But behind this displayed harmony, what does UN music actually convey? Because music is also an instrument of power. Cultural diplomacy, influence strategy, staging of states: from concert halls to international stages, it accompanies the power dynamics of the contemporary world. How far can it claim universality, even though it is produced in specific political and social contexts? In other words, what does music do to diplomacy – and what does diplomacy do to music?
A musical diplomacy between universal ideal and power dynamics
Since the 1950s, the UN has made music a symbolic instrument aimed at suspending international tensions during concerts. At the initiative of Dag Hammarskjöld, the institution established a true “musical ritual” with “a stage suitable for hosting orchestras” with the idea that “music smooths things over.” But behind this ambition for harmony, the choice of works reveals a cultural hierarchy, with “Western classical music prevailing,” embodying an imposed universal, long dominant, even in official commissions.
It was not until the late 1990s, under Kofi Annan, that musical diversification emerged. Performances like the Sufi rock of the Junoon group after September 11 represent a turning point and “a political and aesthetic gesture” to show that “Islam is not reducible to jihadism, there are other traditions.” The UN then transitioned from an “overarching universal” to a more open, “lateral or oblique” universal, seeking to recognize different cultural expressions, despite this balance remaining fragile.
A music shaped by contemporary political issues
Far from being neutral, these concerts also become tools of influence. Each event is supported by sponsoring states, transforming the music scene into a diplomatic showcase, “a branding instrument for sponsoring states and a form of soft power.” This staging does not erase certain limits, notably a strong male dominance with “7.9% of orchestra conductors being women,” which is also reflected in the repertoire, despite some exceptions like composer Alexina Louie.
Finally, music itself becomes entangled in the conflicts it seeks to transcend. Figures like Valery Gergiev illustrate this tension: close to political power, they become controversial symbols. “Music does not escape politics,” insists the analysis, calling for “being very vigilant regarding programming.” In an increasingly degraded international context, music, this “universal language,” mainly reveals the fractures of contemporary multilateralism.
