Japanese Artist Takes Message of Peace to G7 Gathering: Award-winning singer-song writer and Japan's first ever advocate artist launches peace education project

Renowned artist, Ai, to perform first of its kind anthem for peace live in Hiroshima alongside students from around the world

TOKYO, May 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In collaboration with the Japan Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF Japan), Japan's award-winning singer-songwriter, Ai (meaning love in Japanese), managed by The Mic-a-Holics Inc., and the Lasting Peace Project (LPP), are set to launch the "Lasting Peace for Every Child" peace education project to coincide with the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan. Ai will begin publicly advocating for peace and compassion, debuting a globally broadcasted live song performance on May 21 with students from around the world to inspire and move G7 leaders and people to peace and unity.

Of mixed-race heritage and mother to two young children, Ai, through the "Lasting Peace for Every Child" project, is the first Japanese artist to publicly call for peace during the G7 and shed light on the need for global leaders to be the custodians of future generations. The project is launched in collaboration with UNICEF Japan, the public-facing office of the UN children's agency, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), where Ai as a volunteer will help promote the organization's global work to make a world fit for children.

This year's G7 meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, promises to be one of the most important given the present state of global geopolitics, rising regional tensions and the unpredictable events that may affect parts of East Asia. With this uncertainty at the fore, the power of music plays the role of hope and where one of Japan's leading singer-songwriters can give a voice to the voiceless, empowerment to those dispossessed and hope to those in despair. 

"Lasting Peace for Every Child" will begin with a secret performance (details withheld due to security concerns) that will be made public during the G7 meeting itself with details to be announced soon. In Hiroshima on May 21, 2023, @ 04:00 GMT, Ai will deliver a message to the world with survivors who, 77 years ago, experienced the terror of the atomic bomb. Ai will sing together during the gathering with young people from around the world. The live performance will be available worldwide to watch through a bilingual livestream at https://bit.ly/3VFssbM and archived for viewing on the same link immediately following the performance. Messages from Hiroshima survivors will also be included.

Ai will then tour 30 cities across Japan starting from October followed by a global tour where she will collaborate with local artists and participate in events related to the UN's International Day of Peace and numerous other global observance days to continue pushing the message of love, peace and unity while raising donations for education worldwide. Ai believes that education for children is paramount to achieving lasting peace.

Ai commented: "My advocacy activities and the desire for lasting peace for all people equally is based on life experiences through compassion. I am delighted to work as a volunteer for UNICEF Japan and take the message of peace and policy change to not only the G7 leaders gathering in Hiroshima, but to our children across the world who grow up, or may grow up, in the midst of strife and conflict."

About Ai

Ai (meaning love in Japanese) is known for her rich and soulful voice, and her many major hits advocating kindness, happiness, D&I, and peace. Ai was born in Los Angeles as a child of an Italian-American mother and Japanese father and raised in Kagoshima. She appeared on stage 22 years ago as an artist advocating for Peace, Compassion and Diversity. An activist-artist, she is dedicated to collaborating with the next generation to create lasting peace. 

In 2020, Ai was appointed official artist of "One Young World Japan", an international summit gathering next-generation leaders from 196 countries around the world. Touched and inspired by UNICEF's "for every child" campaign, the organization's global rallying cry which calls for a world of equity and equality, Ai decided to join the hundreds of thousands of UNICEF volunteers worldwide to raise awareness and mobilize support: she will use her fame and influence to help the organization reach the most disadvantaged children in the world and collect donations for children's education which is essential for lasting peace.

Instagram: @officialai 
Ai Official Homepage: https://aimusic.tv/

Media Contacts:

Fleishman-Hillard Japan K.K.
Bertram Oba, Junko Sasaki
Email: FH.LASTING.PEACE@fleishman.com

Music Inquiries:

UNIVERSAL MUSIC LLC/EMI Records
Email: EMI-Records@umusic.com 

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