In 2015, the Foundation organized four activities to mark the 70th anniversary of the United Nations:
1. A Chinese New Year Gala at United Nations Headquarters. The first UN Chinese New Year Gala, “Bridge of Friendship,” sponsored and organized by the American Oriental Arts Foundation, was held at UN Headquarters in New York. Senior UN officials and representatives of 47 countries attended.
2. From April to May 2015, a series of Eastern art exhibitions was presented at UN Headquarters in New York.
3. In June, concerts for world peace commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory over fascism were held at UN Headquarters, Lincoln Center, New York University, and Central Park. A well-known American music organization assembled a 200-member World Peace Choir comprising singers of five different racial backgrounds to perform at Lincoln Center.
4. On September 29, during the 70th anniversary of the United Nations and the opening of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, a mass choral performance for world peace was held at UN Headquarters.
The goal was for the World Peace Choir to sing at the United Nations each year during the opening of the General Assembly and around the International Day of Peace, in place of the ceremony of ringing the Japanese Peace Bell at the opening of each General Assembly session.
In March 2016, the Foundation planned to hold another “Bridge of Friendship” gala in New York’s Central Park, this time as a charity event supporting impoverished areas of Africa. The American Oriental Arts Foundation also planned to hold themed “Bridge of Friendship” charity galas in different countries each year.
The performance at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, received high praise from The New York Times, which described it as “The United Nations Is Singing.”

Unlike other musical events, the International Choral Festival aims not only to present high-quality artistic performances but also to show how music, as an international language, can contribute to cross-cultural dialogue, international peace, and friendship.

Following the success of the 2014 event in Geneva, Switzerland, this year’s festival welcomed performing groups from around the world, including The Singing Angels choir from the United States, the Allegretto Children’s Choir from Romania, the Ivan Filipovie Chamber Choir from Croatia, and the Ulsan Philharmonic Orchestra from South Korea. The Foundation was pleased and honored to invite UNRocks, the United Nations rock band, to perform at the UN General Assembly Hall on June 26 and at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, on June 29. The band’s distinguished members included permanent representatives to the United Nations from Denmark, South Korea, Thailand, Romania, Tonga, and Serbia.

In addition to performances at UN Headquarters and Lincoln Center, the festival included a special concert on June 27 at New York University’s Eisner and Lubin Auditorium.

After speaking at Lincoln Center, Chairwoman Alice Liu received congratulations from the cultural counselor of the Chinese Consulate General in New York.

The “Bridge of Friendship” International Arts Festival was founded by the American Oriental Arts Foundation and jointly organized with the American International Arts Center and the New York Ballet Company Group, with support and cooperation from the United Nations and other relevant organizations. Since 2000, the Foundation has organized international choral festivals, art exhibitions, and gala performances around the world under the theme “Bridge of Friendship.” Performing groups have included professional ensembles and renowned community arts organizations from various countries with internationally recognized artistic standards. The festival’s events have been among the largest and most successful cultural activities of their kind internationally, attracting attention and praise from the United Nations, the American Chamber of Commerce, the New York City Council, the city government, the Chinese Consulate General in New York, and major international media outlets. Attendees have included UN officials, government representatives from various countries, and representatives of Fortune 500 companies. The festival has become an influential forum for international exchange.

As a longstanding member of UNESCO, the Foundation has been committed to developing international cultural exchange since its founding. Its chairwoman, Alice Liu, is highly regarded in the international choral community. The Foundation’s International Arts Festival is guided by the ideals of peace, friendship, cooperation, and progress, bringing together all who cherish peace through music. We look forward to sincere cooperation with governments and people around the world.

The Foundation’s planning and production team has more than 20 years of experience in concerts, music festivals, and the entertainment industry. It has access to a wide range of popular Broadway productions and specializes in designing, creating, and managing major concerts and productions of Broadway classics. The team also has experience presenting and promoting classical arts performances. Through longstanding relationships with upscale event venues and service providers in New York, it can help organize receptions, performances, and related events, as well as handle marketing and promotion.

Former New York City Mayor Bloomberg praised the event, saying, “This event gives New York City a wonderful opportunity to celebrate its cultural diversity. Residents and visitors alike can take part, making the city an even better place.”

The Speaker of the New York State Assembly sent a congratulatory letter to the “Bridge of Friendship” International Arts Festival.

Major American newspapers gave the event extensive coverage, describing Foundation Chairwoman Alice Liu as “a source of pride for Chinese people worldwide” and “an outstanding member of the overseas Chinese community.”

Alice Liu, Chairwoman of the American Oriental Arts Foundation, said: “The mission of the American Oriental Arts Foundation is to express humanity’s shared desire for peace through performing arts!”

In June 2015, during the United Nations’ 70th anniversary year, the American Oriental Arts Foundation was the exclusive sponsor of the five-day “Bridge of Friendship” International Choral Festival celebration. The festival was planned and presented with the assistance of the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation and received support throughout from UNESCO. Unlike previous festivals, this edition took place in a year marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and UNESCO and the signing of the UN Charter. As part of the celebrations, the opening performance was held on the evening of Friday, June 26, at the UN General Assembly Hall in New York. The festival was jointly organized by the Permanent Mission of Romania to the United Nations and the UN Department of Public Information.

The New York performances of the UN International Choral Festival, sponsored by the American Oriental Arts Foundation, offered a rich program that introduced audiences to outstanding choral traditions from different countries. The Croatian choir’s beautiful, pleasing, and harmonious singing particularly impressed the audience. Throughout the concert, the spirit of Chairwoman Alice Liu’s words—“A stronger United Nations, a better world”—was evident. The performances conveyed how precious world peace is to people everywhere.

As Chairwoman of the American Oriental Arts Foundation, Ms. Alice Liu devoted great enthusiasm and effort to the festival. She said, “Our Foundation and I personally fully support the goal set by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the United Nations’ 70th anniversary celebrations: to bring together all member states, organizations, and individuals to build a stronger United Nations and a better world. The American Oriental Arts Foundation has long been dedicated to advancing international arts and using the unique language and forms of the performing arts to express humanity’s shared ideals and hopes. I am deeply moved to be able to contribute to the United Nations and its 70th anniversary celebrations. As an artist, my lifelong wish is to express truth, goodness, and beauty through art and to fill the world with love.”