Music: a potent tool for reducing inequality in countries

Music. One of the constant phenomena presents across every country, region, tribe, ethnicity, and religion. Music, like the internet, brings the world together. It has no boundaries. It unites us. Everyone listens to music; young, old, poor, rich, healthy, dying, everyone. Songs are sung to babies long before they can speak, thousands have testified how music helped during their period of depression, it heals broken hearts, every religion sings praises to their God. Really, in the times we are, the importance of music doesn’t have to be sold to anyone.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected and is still affecting millions around the globe. Societies, regardless of gender and social class have had to adjust one or more aspects of their lives because of the virus. Yet, during the peak of the pandemic in 2020, during the lockdowns when we were all alone, the world came together to share their experiences via music. Little wonder the number of listeners increased significantly and as a business, it grew by 9% with double-digit growth in China, India, and Africa.  The impact of musicians cannot be overlooked. Before, during, and even now that the restrictions are being eased, musicians have used their platforms and influence to educate and entertain their listeners. It’s no surprise that musicians are some of the biggest influencers in the world. This is the power of Music.

What are SDGs?

Sustainable Development Goals, also referred to as Global goals, are a set of goals (17 in total, hence, the acronym SDG 17), agreed on by world leaders in 2015 for a better world by 2030. With the mission statement, “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development”, the SDGs goal remains to create a sustainable world on or before 2030.

However, for these goals to become reality, everyone, from the government to non-government organizations, businesses, and also individual citizens must play their part. We must consciously and deliberately work towards achieving these goals. Achieving these goals (SDG 17) would mean solving a large part of the problems we face in the present day like poverty, inequality, and climate change.

Why Music?

Music is good, but its importance and value differ wildly based on factors such as; the individual listening to it, the location it’s being played, or even how it is being played. Music can be unifying as well as destructive. It can bring peace and can start conflicts. It can educate as well as corrupt the mind. Music is a powerful tool to empower and influence if harnessed correctly in the right hands.

Music is one of the most consumed arts globally. There are several roles music can play in achieving these global goals and it will be folly and irresponsible to not consider the universal language (music) while trying to achieve these global goals. Music can create jobs for millions, empower people (young and old) with something as basic as learning to play an instrument, create influential stars, bring people together physically and virtually, make learning easier, educate individuals via its lyrics, there’s also the unreal influence musicians have over their fans worldwide and the list goes on.

Most people are by default drawn to the intrinsic (pleasure) aspect of music while overlooking its social values which can be instrumental to the SDGs. It is important to educate people that music as a creative tool has both intrinsic and social/humanitarian value when analyzing the role of music in fulfilling these global goals.

Music is a universal language and it’s already making a difference on its own long before the pandemic. In New Zealand, the Celebration choir offers choral singing therapy for adults living with acquired neurological conditions, such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia, and has continued to operate online during lockdowns; In Fargo, North Dakota, it is a tool for police officers to promote community unity. In an effort to promote child and human rights, musical rights, integrated learning environments, and cultural dialogue and diplomacy, the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) – Afghanistan’s first and only institute of music – was set up to train talented Afghan children, regardless of their gender, social circumstances, and ethnic background, in a co-educational environment in Afghan traditional and Western classical music. This is just to mention a few of the incredible work music has achieved globally.

Liberty Experience

Supporting the SDGs is not a new goal for us at Liberty Experience, some of these SDGs have been incorporated into our vision and mission and everything we do, from our volunteer work to our event series (an example is when we collaborated with the Munich’s antiracism team of Amnesty International to organize an interactive online workshop that creates an open space to speak up against racism). The goal was simple, we believe that migrants everywhere should find it easy to settle and contribute positively to the social, cultural, and economic development of their new environments. Therefore, we simplify integration for migrants by providing learning opportunities and engaging the power of music to foster a climate of understanding and genuine acceptance in the receiving society. 

Per our contribution to the SDGs, we concretely promote integration, freedom of expression, and participation in cultural and social life (SDG 10.2). We create opportunities for genuine acceptance for migrants; laying the necessary foundations for migrants around Europe to have an equal chance at contributing to the socioeconomic and cultural development of their host communities. Paving the way for migrants to live their true life and pursue their dreams. Our work here also gives musically talented migrants an opportunity to earn a living thereby contributing to SDG 8 (Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all).

Liberty experience does important work in helping our beneficiaries live a life of dignity in their host communities; which is why we are seeking collaboration and help available either volunteer work or financial aid from governments, non-governmental organizations and also well-meaning citizens.