‘Music for Hope’: Austrian embassy hosts concert by Vienna Boys Choir

AMMAN — Bringing together musicians and music educators from vulnerable communities in Jordan through music, Austrian Ambassador to Jordan Oskar Wustinger on Saturday night hosted a concert in Amman of the world-renowned Vienna Boys Choir.

The Vienna Boys Choir, which is originally based in Vienna, has a long tradition as it is one of the most known choirs in the world and has a history of educating children for over 500 years, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Complementing their musical achievements, the young singers in the choir also make important social contributions through outreach and philanthropy projects, such as the “Music for Hope” project in Jordan.

“Music for Hope” is co-funded by the European Union Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and Austrian Federal Ministry of Interior. 

The cooperation project between the Vienna Boys Choir and Caritas Jordan was launched in March 2021 and since then has played an instrumental role in elevating music within the school systems.

The project combines training for music educators as well as educational training for refugee communities to further their musical capacities. 

For the past year, both Syrian and Iraqi refugee children have received continuous music education, while their parents benefitted from workshops highlighting the importance of music for children’s development, Petra reported.

Providing refugees and vulnerable communities in Jordan with access to music and music education should not only enhance their well-being but also aim at creating attractive job opportunities for musicians and music teachers in Jordan in the long term. 

During the opening, Wustinger said that “music is very close to our Austrian hearts”, expressing happiness to see this project bringing together Jordanians, refugees and Austrians through music.

The next phase of the Music for Hope project aims to establish a music academy that can become a leading institution for music training in Jordan and the region.

The event was attended by the Minister of Social Development Ayman Mifleh and other guests.