Chinese pianist Lang Lang, sting to perform at UN Day concert

Chinese pianist Lang Lang, who is also United Nations Messenger of Peace, will perform in a concert at the UN Headquarters Friday in celebration of UN Day.

He will be joined by Grammy Award-winning musician Sting and an international youth orchestra conducted by Manuel Lopez-Gomez, a UN spokesman announced here Monday.

"The concert offers an opportunity to highlight the UN's focus on youth and the education of global citizens," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. "It also marks an important milestone -- the global observance of the 70th anniversary of the UN."

A press conference will also be held at 12:30 p.m. Friday, where Conductor Manuel Lopez-Gomez and a member of the orchestra will take questions on the concert, according to Dujarric.

Lang Lang, born in June 1982, has performed extensively with leading orchestras in Europe, the United States and his native China. On Oct. 28, 2013, he was chosen by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace -- a role he says is more important than his music because it can help improve the lives of children around the world through education.

In 1947, the UN General Assembly declared Oct. 24, the anniversary of the Charter of the United Nations, as the Day which "shall be devoted to making known to the peoples of the world the aims and achievements of the United Nations and to gaining their support for" its work. United Nations Day is part of United Nations Week, which runs from Oct. 20-26.

The General Assembly adopted a further resolution (United Nations Resolution 2782) in 1971 declaring that United Nations Day shall be an international holiday and recommending it be observed as a public holiday by all United Nations member states.