MusicagainstChildLabouramanifesto

Allchildrenhavetherighttotheirchildhood:tolearn,toplayandtogrowinsafety.Yet,today,168
million girls and boys are still trapped in child labour, 85 million in its worst forms slavery,
commercialsexualexploitation,illicitactivitiesorhazardouswork.Manyaredeprivedofeducation.
Work,includingtheworkofmusicians,isatransformativeforceinsocietyandtheworldofmusicis
a valuable partner in the worldwide movement against child labour. Music can strike a powerful
chordagainstchildlabourandforsocialjustice,raisingpublicawarenessandinspiringpeopletoact.
Musicalonecannotdefeatchildlabour,butitcancontributetocombatingthesufferingofchildren
robbedoftheirrightsandofthechancetofulfiltheirpotential.Engaginggirlsandboysincollective
musicalactivitycansupporttheirwithdrawalandprotectionfromchildlabourandassistinbuilding
their skills and selfesteem. Access to musical and other creative education makes schools more
attractivetochildrenandhelpstoensuretheycontinuetheireducationandareprotectedfromrisk.
Weconductors,musiciansandsoloists,youthmusiciansandtradeunionistsintheworldofmusic,
withtheInternationalLabourOrganization(ILO)arecallingonconductors,orchestras,choirsand
musicians of all genres, worldwide, adult and youth, professional and amateur to dedicate,
betweenOctober2013andtheendof2014,oneconcertintheirplannedrepertoiretothisMusic
againstChildLabourInitiative.
Musicinallitsformsisauniversallanguage.Althoughwesingineverytongue,italsoexpresses
emotionswecannotsayinwords.Itlinksusall.Together,theworldofmusiccanraiseitsvoiceand
instrumentsagainstchildlabour.Joinusintellingaudiencesandtheworldthatchildlabourmust
not be tolerated, that children have a right to play and learn. Join our "call to batons". Join the
MusicagainstChildLabourInitiative.JoinusinshowingtheRedCardtoChildLabour!
ThisInitiativeissupportedbythefollowingfounders:thelateClaudioAbbado;JosAntonioAbreu;
Alessio Allegrini, Founder, Musicians for Human Rights; Daniel Barenboim; Pilar Jurado; Benot
Machuel,GeneralSecretary,InternationalFederationofMusicians(FIM);DiegoMatheuz;Rodolfo
Mederos; Eduardo Mendez, Executive Director, Fundacin Musical Simn Bolvar, El Sistema;
AntonioMosca,Director,SuzukiOrchestra,Turin;GuyRyder,DirectorGeneral,InternationalLabour
Organization;BlaskoSmilevski,GeneralSecretary,JeunessesMusicalesInternational.

This appeal was launched at the Salle Pleyel in Paris on 11 June 2013 by the signatories above. The Global
ConcertseriesinsupportoftheInitiativewillbegininBrasiliainOctober2013attheIIIGlobalConferenceon
ChildLabour.
TheILO and its International Programme on theElimination of Child Labour, the world's largest programme
againstchildlabour,thanktheconductors,orchestras,musicians'tradeunionorganizationsandyouthnetworks
supportingthiscampaign,andtheSallePleyelandPiano4Etoilesfortheircooperationinitslaunch.
ForfurtherinformationabouttheILOMusicagainstChildLabourInitiativepleasecontact:IPEC@ilo.orgorgo
to:http://www.ilo.org/ipec/Campaignandadvocacy/MusicInitiative.