The U.S. Department of State introduced the U.S. Global Music Ambassadors Chuck D, Herbie Hancock, Armani White, BRELAND, Denyce Graves, Grace Bowers, Jelly Roll, Justin Tranter, Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, and Teddy Swims.
Emmy® and Grammy® award-winning, world-renowned opera star Denyce Graves, Founder of The Denyce Graves Foundation, joins the ambassador roster in the June 24th, 2024 announcement.
By Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music at YouTube/Google, and Leslie Miller, Vice President of YouTube Public Policy:
On June 24th, 2024, the U.S. Department of State announced that YouTube is partnering with the U.S. State Department, demonstrating the power of music as a diplomatic tool for fostering cultural understanding. This collaboration is part of the State Department’s Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, a worldwide effort to elevate music as a diplomatic platform to promote peace and democracy.
This effort will be grounded by a remarkable group of Global Music Ambassadors representing different genres of music and generations of people.
As the center of global music culture, YouTube is uniquely positioned to help amplify these voices. In addition to the new U.S. Global Music Ambassadors, this partnership will focus on several key areas:
- Micro-grants for social impact
- English language learning through music
- Supporting the creative economy
- Leveraging global events
This new partnership was catalyzed by the bipartisan PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act. This 2022 law authorized the State Department to work with the private sector to design and implement music-related exchange programs.
