Ma Named U.N. Ambassador

World-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma ’76 will soon reemerge onto the world stage in a new capacity—this time working with the United Nations (U.N.) to promote cultural understanding, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan announced last Thursday.

Annan met with Ma last week to discuss his future role as a U.N. peace ambassador within the organization.

Yvonne K. Acosta, coordinator of the U.N.’s Messengers of Peace program, said that the exact nature of Ma’s contribution has not been decided.

“It will be discussed with him in more detail to see in what capacity he would like to work with the U.N.,” she said.

According to Acosta, one possibility open to Ma is to work with the Messengers of Peace program, along with fellow performers Luciano Pavarotti and Michael Douglas, as well as Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, scientist Jane Goodall, and athletes Magic Johnson and Muhammad Ali.

Ma’s prominence as both an artist and a humanitarian will serve him well as an ambassador, Acosta said.

“I think he’s made such a contribution internationally in the world of music,” she said. “As you know, some of our messengers are people of very high stature...they’re very committed to humanitarian efforts.”

Jack C. Megan, director of Harvard’s Office for the Arts, reacted enthusiastically to the news of Ma’s appointment, referencing Ma’s recent work on the Silk Road Initiative as an example of his commitment to promoting cross-cultural understanding through music.

Ma started the Silk Road Project in 1998, which “acts as an umbrella organization and common resource for a number of artistic, cultural and educational programs,” focusing on the Silk Road of antiquity, according to its mission statement.

“If one looks at the Silk Road initiative, and its underlying mission...promoting cultural understanding, cross-fertilization of ideas, mutual sharing and respect, the promotion of humanity through music,” Megan said. “This is what he does.”

Ma returned to Harvard to promote the initiative last September, when he not only took part in performances but also visited two classes, including Knafel Professor of Music Thomas F. Kelly’s popular core course Literature and Arts B-51 “First Nights.”

Ma was born in 1955 to Chinese parents living in Paris. He spent most of his childhood in New York and began playing the cello at the age of four. Ma was already a renowned musician by the time he began his undergraduate education.

Ma received a doctorate degree from the University in 1991. He was awarded the Harvard Arts Medal two years ago during the annual Arts First celebration.

“This appointment as someone who is an ambassador for peace and understanding really pertains to the work he’s done in music and with the Silk Road in particular,” Megan said. “It’s a perfect match.”

­—Staff writer Marianne F. Kaletzky can be reached at kaletzky@fas.harvard.edu.