U.S. State Dept. Launches 2024 Music Diplomacy with Herbie Hancock and Dianne Reeves in India

American jazz legends Herbie Hancock and Dianne Reeves are currently in New Delhi and Mumbai, India, until January 24, participating in the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, as announced by the U.S. Department of State. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy, the U.S. Mission to India has invited Hancock, Reeves, and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA Ensemble to perform and engage in educational programs promoting peace and strengthening the bonds between the United States and India.

U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, a concert pianist, joined the Ensemble in a performance in New Delhi, while in Mumbai, Hancock and Reeves will collaborate with acclaimed Indian artists Sitar Maestro Purbayan Chatterjee and Tabla player Swarupa Ananth-Sawkar, an alumna of the Department's OneBeat program.

The Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, initiated by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in September 2023, strives to enhance global peace and cultural connections through music. It aligns with broader U.S. foreign policy goals, promoting education, economic opportunity, equity, and societal inclusion. The Arts Envoy program, a vital component of the initiative, sends American artists like Hancock and Reeves abroad to engage with audiences and foster international relations through the universal language of music.