The India-Pakistan conflict has sadly spilled into the cultural realm, attenuating forces that provide the little glimmer of hope for an integrated, peaceful and prosperous South Asia: culture, arts, music, movies, and people-to-people relations. Art and culture have no nation, no boundaries, and no religion. Works of art are priceless treasures of the world regardless of where they originate. 

The German ambassador to Bahrain wanted to do something special for the German National Unity reception. [...] He came back, jazz guitar in hand, to join the “Jazzabilly band” in a few songs. The audience was thrilled. Simms-Protz has always professed his belief that music and art are instrumental tools for bringing people together — especially the youth.

A cultural exchange show promoting the beauty of Vietnam’s land and people took place at the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan on the evening of October 8, drawing great public attention. The event featured performances of Vietnamese traditional dances and songs sung in Japanese. Hoang Thi Minh Ha, the wife of the Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, introduced the cuisine of her home country. 

But what is the reverse method of connecting cultures? Local 501c3 Cradle of Jazz Project (CoJP) has launched a new and innovative means of creating bridges between geographically distant people. With a mission of "illuminating the connections between West Africa and the Americas through music and education"

There have been wonderful, detailed accounts of this historic visit, and its function (cultural diplomacy), nature (friendly and collaborative), and outcomes (artistic and financial commitments), so I won't rehash those here. What I'll focus on instead is the immeasurable component of art itself in the rebuilding of relationships at a people-to-people level. 

Something of a musical exchange-student program, the organization brings young musicians from all over the world to the U.S. together for a month each year to collaborate on music. Started in 2012, OneBeat hopes to celebrate the ways that the arts can impact local and global communities, as well as help people connect across cultures through music.