Yo-Yo Ma will receive the 2015 Leonore and Walter Annenberg Award for Diplomacy through the Arts in recognition of his contributions to the artistic tradition of the United States. The honor will be given by the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE) at an event hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry and Mrs. Heinz Kerry at the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Reception Rooms on April 20, 2015.
That same day, a panel discussion, entitled The Role of Art in Diplomacy: Cultural Citizens, will take place at the National Gallery of Art. The event is free and open to the public, and begins at 1:00pm. The discussion will focus on culture as a collective tool for creating meaning. Moderated by Molly Donovan, Associate Curator of Modern Art, National Gallery of Art, panelists will include Yo-Yo Ma, artist Theaster Gates, and FAPE Vice President and Ford Foundation President Darren Walker.
“I am honored to receive the 2015 Annenberg Award from the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies. The Foundation has a unique mission of cultural diplomacy in the arts, and through its generosity, embassy visitors throughout the world are able to experience the art of some of our preeminent American artists. It is a privilege to join the distinguished company of Annenberg honorees and to share with them the goal of using culture as a universal language to inspire global understanding,” said Ma.
