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Embassy of Bangladesh

Paris, France

PRESS RELEASE  

Marina Ahmad sings at UNESCO to celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity

Paris, Wednesday 22 Feb:  Marina Ahmad, a Bangladeshi singer based in New York, performed at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris to mark this year’s International Mother Language Day.

The event was organized by the Embassy and Permanent Delegation of Bangladesh to UNESCO to commemorate the International Mother Language Day at UNESCO.

Born in Dhaka, Marina Ahmad has been trained in Indian Classical music and proficient in many South Asian languages. In Bangladesh she studied under the tutelage of Ustad Phul Mohammed Khan and Shri Barin Majumdar. She continued her training at Dhaka Music College and then studied at Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya in New Delhi, India. Marina is a senior disciple of Padmabhushan Pandit Jasraj-ji, and regularly accompanies Pandit Jasraj-ji, performing alongside him worldwide. Marina has a wide repertoire and also performs thumris, ghazals, bhajans, and sacred music, mostly of the Sufi tradition. She currently divides her time between New York and Bombay. She was accompanied by Hiren Chate, an accomplished Tabla player from India.

Speaking on the occasion, M Shahidul Islam, Ambassador to France and Permanent Representative to UNESCO referred to the sacrifice made by several Bengali youths to defend their mother tongue Bangla on 21st February 1952.  He noted that through the proclamation of 21st February as International Mother Language Day, “what was a struggle for Bengalis to save their mother language years ago became a source of inspiration for the promotion and protection of all mother languages of the world”. He termed this as a “gift” from the Bengalis to the rest of the world.

Ambassadors, Diplomats, UNESCO senior officials, senior government officials of the French Government, members of French civil society, and cultural personalities from expatriate Bangladeshi community enjoyed the classical music rendition by Marina Ahmad. 

Marina Ahmad performs classical music at UNESCO  

Bangladesh Ambassador M Shahidul Islam addresses classical music evening at UNESCO 

Distinguished Guests at the classical music evening at UNESCO