In 1981, the United Nations declared September 21 as the International Day of Peace with the aim of creating a worldwide day of ceasefire and non-violence.

The Day of Peace is an annual event organised by the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble in collaboration with TivoliVredenburg, PHIL Haarlem and the Refugee Foundation. The Nederlands Blazers Ensemble invites guest artists from various artistic disciplines who have recently, or some time ago, fled from war zones around the world. Together, we celebrate peace on this special evening filled with music that moves and unites.

Benoit de Gryse, Head of Programs & Policy at the Refugee Foundation, says, “Through the universal language of visual arts and music, together with the Dutch Wind Ensemble, we put people fleeing literally and figuratively in the spotlight. In doing so, we highlight the worrying current situation while also showcasing the courage and resilience with which displaced people do everything in their power to continue their lives despite the circumstances.”

The guest artists will be announced at a later time.

The International Day of Peace is made possible by:

when to see it

• Sun 21 Sep 2025 20:00 Utrecht TivoliVredenburg Tickets
• Wed 24 Sep 2025 20:00 Haarlem PHIL Tickets