David Gordon, music and lyrics
David Woolcomb, screenwriter
Based on The Peace Book by Bernard Benson
Matija Krečič, arranger
SMO and Peace Child Production

ŽIVA PLOJ PERŠUH, conductor

SLOVENE YOUTH ORCHESTRA WITH JOINT MUSICIANS AND SINGER

Young musicians from all over the world will gather in Ljubljana this summer for Peace Child Week, a unique artistic event organised by the Slovene Youth Orchestra in collaboration with Peace Child International, which will culminate in a performance of the Peace Child Musical, with music and lyrics by David Gordon and Yusuf / Cat Stevens. Based on an original script by David Woollcombe, the musical illustrates the transformational power of cooperation and creativity. Set in an imaginary world full of conflict and division, it calls on courageous children to break the cycle of conflict and inspire their communities to work even harder for peace and reconciliation.
The Slovene Youth Orchestra has been using music as a force for change for years. From the Music for the Future project, supporting displaced Ukrainian musicians, to concerts at major global events such as COP26, the orchestra has proved that music can do far more than just inspire – it can spur people to action.
With the Peace Child Musical, which brings together more than 150 musicians, singers, soloists and narrators, the orchestra now continues this mission and invites people to reflect on the world we are creating. Packed with stirring songs and compelling dialogue, the musical offers great entertainment for audiences of all ages while simultaneously encouraging us all to believe in the power of empathy, dialogue and solidarity.
The project is taking place on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of World War II and the founding of the United Nations, under the honourable patronage of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Tanja Fajon.

•  Živa Ploj Peršuh ensures, in the Peace Child musical, that every child has a sense of their own value and understands the importance of their own contribution to the overall performance, which enables them to achieve common goals through cooperation with their peers.
•  Peace Child is a musical spectacle that has been performed more than 10,000 times around the world, transforming the lives of children, young people and families in numerous countries. It promoted dialogue and understanding during the final years of the Cold War and has inspired peacebuilding efforts in conflict-affected regions, including the former Yugoslavia, Central America and Ireland.
• The story of Peace Child is set 50 years in the future, when the major challenges facing humanity have been overcome, but at the same time shows how the children of today created a peaceful world through their actions and decisions.
• In Papua New Guinea, when warring tribes made peace, they exchanged a baby to seal the peace between them. The babies grew up in the others’ tribe and, whenever conflict threatened, would be sent out to negotiate a new peace. Such a child was called a “peace child”. This story was the basis of the Peace Child movement, where young people become bearers of peace and a solution to global challenges.