About the call

UNESCO is issuing a Call for Applications for the “Global Host City” for the 2022 International Jazz Day celebration. The International Jazz Day, proclaimed by UNESCO’s General Conference in 2011, is celebrated annually on 30 April with the aim to improve awareness on the role jazz can play as an educational tool and as a force for creativity, dialogue, and intercultural exchange.

Therefore, Cities and cities in partnership with a nongovernmental organization in UNESCO Member Countries and Associate Members can apply.

Details at a glance

Deadline: 1 October 2021 (Midnight, CET)

Issuing institution: UNESCO

Eligible countries: All UNESCO Member and Associate Member Countries

Target applicants: Organizations (Cities)

Notification of two finalist cities: early November 2021

November 2021: Site Visit

December 2021:  Announcement of Chosen Host Cities

Eligibility criteria

• The call is open to all cities and cities partnering with an NGO in UNESCO Member and Associate Member Courtiers.
• The application should obviously set out the capacity and commitment of the host city to satisfy all requirements in the application form.

How are the host cities selected?

After UNESCO receives the Applications, an Advisory Committee assesses the qualifying applications, determines the top two candidates and, after a site visit to the top two candidates, recommends the two candidate cities to the UNESCO Director-General. The final decision is at the discretion of the Director-General of UNESCO who designates the Global Host City.

Host cities’ responsibilities

The selected Global Host City will assume responsibility for the organization and all costs of the Programme of Activities, under the observation of and in close cooperation with UNESCO and UNESCO’s partner, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, an (NGO) that supervises the whole planning, production, and coordination of the Programme of Activities.

The Programme of Activities includes two parts:

• Educational and Outreach Programme
• All-Star Global Concert

How to apply?

Eligible applicants should fill out the online application form, upload supporting documents or information (to support the application in the final step) and submit it online within the deadline.

Submit the application HERE.

Note: The submission language must be either English or French since these two are the official languages of the UNESCO Secretariat.

Supporting documents

The Application must comprise:

1. A letter of support from the city government, which determines the intention to assume the Educational and Outreach Programme and the All-Star Global Concert, and their commitment to ensuring the financial and/or in-kind support in line with the city government contributions specified in the budget proposal.
2. A letter of support from a national governmental ministry or similar entity, which indicates their commitment to ensuring the financial and/or in-kind assistance
3. A letter of endorsement from the Applicant country’s National Commission for UNESCO, which approves the completed and final Application Form (all references to the National Commission for UNESCO refer to the country the Applicant is in)
4. Two additional letters of support from a partner or related institutions.

For further details of this “call for application” plus important application requirements, you are strongly advised to visit UNESCO’s official website.