Music Freedom Day on March 3 is established as an international day to celebrate freedom of expression and to demonstrate support for persecuted and threatened artists on the music stage worldwide.
Since the freedom of expression organisation Freemuse took the initiative in 2007, more than 100 partners in 36 countries have joined, and Music Freedom Day today is an important celebration of the freedom to create and to play music without intimidation or persecution.
Music Freedom Day is a powerful, united manifestation to support persecuted, prosecuted and imprisoned musicians, many of whose only crime has only been that they have spoken up against authorities and insisted on the right to express themselves through their music. Musicians and composers rights’ to freedom of expression are violated worldwide, but the strong support for Music Freedom Day every year demonstrates the will to continue the advocacy and defence for the universal rights to compose, perform and take part in musical expressions.
Music is a human right, but music is being censored all over the world, and musicians are being prosecuted and imprisoned. This three-minute video contains short interview excerpts and music clips with Outspoken (Zimbabwe), Roger Lucey (South Africa), Manu Chao (Spain), Kris Kristofferson (USA), Ramy Essam (Egypt), Mahsa Vahdat (Iran), Mari Boine (Norway), Didier Awadi (Senegal), Ferhat Tunc (Turkey), Khaled Harara (Palestine), Deeyah (USA / Norway).
