Prior to the official commencement of the "World Peace Culture and Arts Festival 2025 · Venice Special Edition - Peace Dialogue Forum," we conducted an exclusive interview with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee. In a warm yet resolute voice, she shared her heartfelt sentiments with us: she sincerely praised the Wuyue Symphony Orchestra for weaving a poetic tapestry of peace through music, describing its melodies as "transcending cultures and borders, conveying profound humanistic care and the spirit of peace." This acclaim also serves as the highest recognition of decades of artistic dedication and spiritual pursuit by the orchestra's visionary leader, Master Shi Wuyue. Through the bridge of sound, Master Wuyue transforms Eastern wisdom and compassionate aspirations into harmonious compositions, touching every soul in the world that yearns for tranquility.
What are your thoughts on the World Peace Culture and Arts Festival, initiated by Master Wuyue, which features music and dialogue as its highlights?
"This World Peace Culture and Arts Festival holds significant importance in the era we live in today. Culture has often been a contentious topic, frequently exploited as a tool for division and even discrimination. Therefore, witnessing someone utilize culture as a paradigm for peace is highly innovative. I believe this is an extraordinary endeavor, especially in the times we are navigating."
How do you view the role of music in Master Wuyue's efforts to convey messages of peace?
"When I first heard the orchestra perform, I felt immense joy. They performed exceptionally well, and what stood out was the diversity of music they presented—not only traditional Chinese pieces but also classics from Spain and Italy. This is precisely what the world today yearns for: people appreciating each other's differences while celebrating how these distinctions bring joy to the world. I believe this is the very essence the orchestra embodies.
We live in an intensely divided world, filled with crises and challenges. I am convinced that every small effort for peace creates lasting reverberations and is worthy of gratitude. I believe the institutions collaborating with the orchestra are contributing their share to making our world a better place."
Xizu Temple is located in Madagascar. Would you consider visiting Xizu Temple in the future to spread the power of peace?
"All of us hope for a day when we can lead healthy lives in peace, free to travel. Therefore, if the opportunity arises in the future to visit a place where peace is actively practiced, it would be a beautiful experience."
During the forum, two peace envoys—one from the realm of action and the other from the domain of spiritual artistry—seemed to converge under the shared starlight of humanity's collective aspirations: one illuminating the path of humanity amidst the shadows of war with courage, the other resonating with cosmic harmonies that heal conflicts through Zen-inspired artistry. Though their paths differ, they share the same fervent and profound prayer: may every melody become a seed for dialogue, and may every act of listening awaken respect for life. Peace has never been merely a concept; it is a practice and creation that transcends mountains and rivers, integrating the essence of East and West.