The Zade Foundation

The Zade Foundation for International Peace and Understanding is a non-profit organization whose goal is helping young musicians share with the world a more meaningful understanding of their cultures and expanding their roles from musicians to ambassadors of peace and future community leaders. The foundation was founded by Jordanian composer and pianist Zade.

Mission

The Zade Foundation for International Peace and Understanding is a non-profit organization aimed at helping young musicians share with the world a deeper understanding of their cultures. It offers a unique opportunity for musicians to expand their roles from musicians to proactive peace builders and future community leaders.

Origins

Zade was scheduled to perform a house concert in Maine on September 11, 2001. After the tragic events, which affected him deeply, Zade decided to "dedicate his life to building bridges of peace and tolerance through the universal language of music." He embarked on a house tour in a "humble grassroots effort to create a better understanding of his culture in the West." Zade spent roughly the next 3 years performing hundreds of times a year spreading his message of peace through music. Zade then gathered attention for his passion for peace and altruism from directors at the Berklee College of Music, where he had previously studied, and also Jordan's Queen Noor.

To more effectively promote his message of peace on a greater scale, Zade officially established The Zade Foundation for International Peace and Understanding in the spring of 2005.

Projects

The Beautiful World Project

The Beautiful World Project seeks to introduce music in concerts and workshops to underprivileged children that have not had the chance to experience music appreciation in their everyday lives. The project’s goal is to teach children throughout the developing world about the benefits of using art as a medium of self-expression, thus contributing to their overall well being, while instilling local traditions and cultural heritage.

Each country visit includes free concerts at local schools, both public and private, churches, hospitals and centers that house underprivileged children.

The Project goals are as follows:

  1. To demonstrate the positive impact of music on self-expression, children's development and overall mental, emotional and physical well being
  2. To utilize music as a medium to instill cultural pride and raise awareness of local heritage
  3. To create a deeper understanding of the value of music in promoting cultural exchange and tolerance
  4. To introduce music as an important and effective teaching tool in classrooms
  5. To increase music and art appreciation among children

The Beautiful World Project ultimately seeks to help prepare a future generation of responsible citizens who are appreciative of music and understand its role in deconstructing barriers and preconceived notions.

Roads To You

Roads to You was created to bring world cultures closer together through youth cultural exchange in musical concerts and workshops throughout the World.

Members of Roads to You are selected based on their musical merit and leadership potential, as the project seeks to demonstrate cooperation and communication between cultures lost in political polarization. The project includes participants from war-torn regions coming together and working in an atmosphere of trust and team spirit. Participants are able to share their talent and heritage with those who have been stranded on the other side of the conflict. “Roads to You” seeks to promote dialogue with "the other side."

Roads to You spends 1 week in each chosen city. Musicians are given the opportunity to participate in cultural avenues such as guest presentations at various educational institutions, as well as community and civic functions and free concerts. They are also encouraged to share their touring experience in their home countries upon their return.

Roads to You launched its inaugural tour in May of 2006 under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan and in partnership with Berklee College of Music and Seeds of Peace, with major performances and over 100 educational workshops in Washington, DC, Houston, Texas and Los Angeles, CA. The events were attended by thousands, foremost amongst them Her Majesty Queen Noor, Her Majesty Queen Rania, and Mrs. Laura Bush. The initial 2006 tour established the general parameters and set the general framework that will allow travel of Roads to You to any city in the world.