2024-25 BMF International Music Festival Series for the Blind

The theme that underpins our music festivals is connection. Blind communities worldwide have already demonstrated remarkable achievements, and we believe that fostering global connections among these communities can further amplify their impact and raise awareness. Given that music is our medium, the BMF International Music Festival serves as a platform intended to catalyze communication and foster community across linguistic barriers. By inviting talented blind musicians and esteemed speakers to share their stories at our festivals, each event embodies the ethos of collaboration and the unity of global communities working together to shape a brighter future.

We are proud to host the BMF International Music Festival series for the Blind at UNESCO Headquarters' Main Auditorium in Paris, France, and in Fort Lee, NJ, USA. This collaborative endeavor involves blind organizations and musicians from around the globe. The festival is designed to spotlight the exceptional talents of blind musicians on prestigious stages worldwide, offering them a transformative space for healing and empowerment through the unifying force of music. It will showcase the distinguished winners of the 2024 BMFSO Concerto Competition as soloists performing with the BMF Symphony Orchestra.

2024 BMF International Music Festival for the Blind in the USA
Date: Sunday, April 28th, 2024 at 5 PM
Venue: Barrymore Film Center, Fort Lee, NJ, USA
Address: 153 Main St, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
*This program is made possible in part by a grant administered by the Bergen County Division of Historic & Cultural Affairs from funds granted by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

2025 BMF International Music Festival for the Blind in France (UNESCO Headquarters)
Date: in 2025 *
Venue: UNESCO House: Main Auditorium (Room I)
Address: 125 avenue de Suffren, Paris 7th, France

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*Our finale event at UNESCO for the BMF Music Festival series for the Blind, originally scheduled for October 15th, 2024, has been rescheduled to 2025.

We have been recently informed by the concerned services of UNESCO that the dates for the Autumn session of UNESCO’s Executive Board (one of the three constitutional organs of the Organization, consisting of fifty-eight Member States) have been advanced in accordance with a decision of the Executive Board taken at its last session. As such, it is now confirmed to take place from 9 to 24 October 2024. Furthermore, following recent decisions, activities may no longer take place during the sessions, particularly in the larger conference rooms, such as Room I, which is now required for certain Board meetings to accommodate all concerned Member State representatives. Taking this into consideration, we were informed that, despite attempts to find a suitable solution, UNESCO had to regretfully cancel or postpone several events, including ours planned on 15 October.
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We look forward to presenting this amazing event at UNESCO headquarters in Paris in 2025 and hope for your continued support.