United Nations Radio

The world-renowned Israeli pianist, Daniel Barenboim, recently performed at the United Nations with members of the West-Eastern Divan orchestra, which he co-founded in 1999.

Daniel Barenboim

The orchestra unites young musicians from Israel and from Arab countries to enable a dialogue between cultures. In September last year Maestro Barenboim was appointed UN Messenger of Peace. Speaking to Eric Falt, Daniel Barenboim shared his thoughts on why he took on this mission.

Barenboim: This Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which torments me daily, has not been solved for so many years and one has to ask ourselves - why? Why is it that a conflict between two very intelligent peoples and with the help of the whole world, has not been able to be solved? And I am more and more convinced of the fact that it hasn't been solved because it hasn't been treated for what it is... The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a political conflict. It is a human conflict, between two peoples that are deeply convinced that they have the right to live on the same little piece of Earth. And therefore, the military solution is not an option, yet there's still quite a lot of people in the area, who believe that the military option exists. If it is a human conflict, as I feel it, then it shows that the destiny of the two peoples - of the Israeli and Palestinian people are inextricably linked and therefore, it has to be treated as a conflict that will be solved in such a way that it cannot be only good for one and bad for the other, but one that is equally good or equally bad for both.

Falt: Maestro, you work with musicians, obviously, but I understand more especially with young musicians. Why do you think it's important to focus on youth?

Barenboim: 85% of the Palestinian population is under 33 years old - 85%, which means the greatest investment that we can all do is exactly in the youth, in the hope for the future. And I believe that music, of course, is something that brings people together. ... Everyone is born with a feeling for music, because music is something that is the closest to human nature. And I think this is what we have to develop.

Falt: In 2008 we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Your message beyond peace and tolerance, also in many ways touches on this issue of human rights. Do you think that over the last 60 years we've made real progress towards achieving universal human rights?

Barenboim: We have made a lot of progress. I played my first concert in New York 52 years ago - in 1957.And on this, my first tour in America, I was in Miami. And I was taken by the presenter of the concert on a tour of the city and then he stopped in front of a golf club and he said: "Go and read what is in the inscription." And I read: "No Jews, no Blacks and no dogs allowed." This is not in the 17th century, this is 1957. And now we have a black President-elect of the United States. I mean, this is a very big step forward, so in that respect we have made a lot of progress, but in the sense of accepting the individuality and the right to live as it wishes of every people in the world - we haven't. Look how many conflicts there have been. Human Rights means the right of the human being. And this is what I think we have to work on.

PRES: Musician and UN Messenger of Peace Daniel Barenboim.

Producer: Bissera Kostova

(duration: 4'12")