For the first time ever, the World Choir Games is coming to Aotearoa New Zealand and will be held in Auckland from 10 to 20 July 2024.
The Freemasons Foundation supports significant change-making projects that bring people together to make New Zealand (and the world) a better place. Established in 2000, the World Choir Games is the largest choral festival and competition on the globe and has been called the Olympics of choral singing. World Choir Games is renowned for its ability to bring together choirs from all nations and cultures in a joyful celebration of creativity, diversity, friendship and peace.
This event is of truly world scale. The competition takes place during the day across a range of central city venues (up to ten at any one time), while the festival consists of an Olympic-style parade; large opening, awards and closing ceremonies - and many evening concerts featuring the participating choirs.
Together, the 2024 World Choir Games and the Freemasons Foundation believe that singing together brings nations together. This partnership will give some of New Zealand's less-advantaged secondary school choirs the opportunity to participate in this inspiring, enriching event.
The Freemasons Foundation involvement is an opportunity to support diversity and inclusion at the Games. This partnership is in line with the Foundation’s desire “to provide young New Zealanders the opportunity to experience life-changing events and to expand their horizons through meeting other like-minded people from around the world and sharing culture and friendship”.
This funding will enable the participation of students from schools who would not otherwise be able to take part. For some young people, the World Choir Games will be an early eye- and ear-opener to the expressive power of singing together; for others, it will be a world-sized affirmation of a pursuit that already means so much to them.