Category Speeches

In category Speeches on  March 22, 2012 

WORLD WATER DAY 2012
March 22, 2012
Merkin Hall, NYC
Presented by Mehri Madarshahi

Tonight we are celebrating two major event both related to our blue planet: the arrival of the Spring coinciding with Persian New Year and the World Water Day established by the United Nations. Thank you for being with us. Given the importance of the day, Association Melody for Dialogue among Civilizations along with its partners have organized a magnificent concert all about Water and its importance for life.

as we speak close to 1 billion people around the world live without potable water and 3900 children die every day from water-borne diseases. Of these global estimates, Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more than a third.

Lack of safe water and adequate sanitation are regarded as the top causes of illness...

In category Speeches on  November 30, 2011 

WATER MANAGEMENT IN AFRICA
November 30, 2011
Lagos, Africa
Presented by Mehri Madarshahi

Mr President,

Honorable Ministers

Excellencies

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Good morning and welcome to the first of the series of meetings planned by the Association Melody for Dialogue among Civilizations on the challenge of sustainable water management for present and future. I am privileged to cooperate in this challenging event with the ALF led by its Chairman President Olusegun Obasanjo and Mr Ayo Aderinwale its executive Director. I am also glad to acknowledge the support extended by UNESCO for this endeavor.

At the beginning of the 21^st century, the Earth- with its diverse and abundant life forms- including 7 billion people is facing a serious water crisis...

In category Speeches on  November 1, 2011 

ASPEN CULTURAL DIPLOMACY FORUM 2011
November 2011
Cercle Interaliee, Paris
Presented by: Mehri Madarshahi
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Samuel Huntington’s “clash of civilizations” presented a controversial idea that people’s cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of conflict in the post-Cold war period. Huntington believed that while the age of ideology had ended, the world had only reverted to a normal state of affairs characterized by cultural conflict. He argued that the primary axis of conflict in the future would be along cultural and religious lines. The thesis received much criticism. In his book Terror and Liberalism, Paul Berman suggested that distinct cultural boundaries did not exist in the present day...

In category Speeches on  October 27, 2011 

International Forum on Creative City and Industries
October 26-28, 2011
Shanghai, China
Statement by Mehri Madarshahi
President, Melody for Dialogue Association

Good morning, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great privilege for me to attend this meeting and speak about the importance of bridging the gap between local and global culture in the post industrial economy.

Let me start with an obvious question:

Why do cities matter in the creative economy? Cities are where, throughout history, artists, intellectuals, scientists and all other creative actors have gathered and lived in close vicinity, influencing each others...

In category Speeches on  October 27, 2011 

International Forum on Creative City and Industries
October 27, 2011
Shanghai, China
Statement by Mehri Madarshahi
President, Melody for Dialogue Association

Good morning, Mr Chairman, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

I have the privilege to bring you greetings from Mr Hans d’Orville, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO who could not attend this meeting in person due to other obligations.  The General Conference of UNESCO is in session and will last until mid Nov.  He asked me to convey to you the best wishes for successful deliberations of this Forum.

It is equally a privilege for me to attend this meeting and address the important topics before it.

Ladies and Gentlemen, as you are aware on 10 February 2010, Shanghai was nominated as the UNESCO City of Design.

Why Shanghai? For ma...

In category Speeches on  November 15, 2010 

16th ASIAN GAMES
November 15, 2010
Guangzhou, China
Presented by Mehri Madarshahi

Human virtue cannot move forward without music. Confucius believed that one’s education could not be complete without musical education, as illustrated by the following quote from Confucius himself: “To educate someone, you should start with poems, emphasize of ceremonies, and finish with music.

Music was an important part of Confucius’s teachings. He himself was said to have been a brilliant musician. In fact, he is credited with composing some of the earliest written music that still exists today: “Youlan,” also known as “The Solitary Orchid.” He also composed music for the entire Book of Songs, a collection of traditional poems (Jones)...

In category Speeches on  November 15, 2010 

16th ASIAN GAMES
November 15, 2010
Guangzhou, China
Presented by Mehri Madarshahi

Good evening Excellencies

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me take this opportunity and welcome you to an evening of song, music and dance by 65 artists representing some 27 countries that aims to represent harmony in diversity, dialogue in conflict.

For the purpose of this program, we chose “scherezad” by the legendary Rimsky-Korsakov.  We re-interpret the music to accommodate some 11 “talent shows” by the artists from countries listed in your program leaflets...

In category Speeches on  October 1, 2009 

MUSIC AS A CATALYST FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
October 1, 2009
Geneva, Switzerland
Presented by Mehri Madarshahi

Excellences,

For months we planned for this important gathering and its pursuant multi-cultural concert that will take place tonight at the most prestigious Victoria Hall not knowing that this one day event will be extended to two full days of activities. Most of you witnessed the glorious afternoon yesterday when a symbolic tree offered by CERN was planted in the presence of Honorable Mayor of Geneva and the Director-General of CERN and the beauty of green spread over the Lake Leman at dawn. These memorable events were culminated in the generous reception by the American Mission to the United Nations in Geneva in honor of this programme.

Happy to see the assembly of such an ...

In category Speeches on  March 29, 2009 

Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy
Music as Track II Diplomacy
27 March 2009 – Northeastern University
Statement by Mehri Madarshahi
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In category Speeches on  March 17, 2009 

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AND FESTIVAL
Mugham as a Vector for the Dialogue among Civilizations
Baku, 17-20 March 2009
by Mehri Madarshahi
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