April 30 marks the celebration of UNESCO’s International Jazz Day. In addition to highlighting jazz’s intrinsic artistic value, the day promotes messages of peace, intercultural collaboration, and respect for human dignity and human rights. The Finnish Jazz Federation is organizing a week-long Jazz Day campaign, fronted this year by jazz musicians Johanna Iivanainen and Jukka Eskola.
Celebrated annually on April 30, UNESCO’s International Jazz Day honors jazz music and its role as a messenger of intercultural dialogue and peace. In Finland, the celebrations kick off already on April 21 with the Jazz Day campaign, which highlights domestic jazz events and festivities for over a week.
Beyond jazz’s artistic merit, the broader message of the day – intercultural cooperation, peace, and respect for human dignity and rights – is especially timely against the backdrop of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The figurehead of International Jazz Day, legendary pianist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, has aptly described the essence of jazz as follows: “Jazz has hope and solidarity, which we all need right now.”
In 2025, the faces of the Finnish Jazz Federation’s Jazz Day campaign are vocalist Johanna Iivanainen and trumpeter Jukka Eskola.
Johanna Iivanainen has frequently collaborated with groups such as Eero Koivistoisen yhtye, Antti Sarpila Swing Band, Trio Ahvenlahti-Koivistoinen-Iivanainen, JimJamMurMur, Johanna & Mikko Iivanainen Duo, 1N, and Korpi Ensemble. She became widely known as the lead vocalist of the SuomiLOVE TV show’s house band from 2014 to 2019. In 2002, Iivanainen received the Louis Armstrong Award, and the following year, Sony Electronics Finland and the Finnish Jazz Federation presented her with the first-ever Sony Jazz Award. Her extensive discography includes over 50 recordings, the latest being Surutuuli, released this year with the Johanna & Mikko Iivanainen Duo.
Trumpeter Jukka Eskola is one of Finland’s most respected and internationally recognized jazz musicians. He is known for his work with ensembles such as the Jukka Eskola Quintet, Jukka Eskola Soul Trio, and his recent collaboration Lassy–Eskola: Nordic Stew. Eskola was also a member of The Five Corners Quintet, one of Finland’s most internationally successful jazz groups. A sought-after session musician, composer, arranger, and artistic director, Eskola has led several festivals and contributed to over 200 recordings. His solo albums, including for example Jukka Eskola (2005), Jukka Eskola Soul Trio (2017), and Steamy! (2019), have cemented his place in the jazz world. He has also reached broader audiences through TV shows like Elämäni Biisi, SuomiLOVE, and Dancing with the Stars Finland.
Both Iivanainen and Eskola emphasize the essence of freedom in jazz.
“Jazz is rooted in strong interaction, collaboration, and individual freedom. It’s about diving into new encounters and situations, anchored by presence and mutual respect. That’s where peace and love arise,” Iivanainen explains.
“Jazz is a celebration of freedom, rhythm, and emotion. It lives in the moment, surprises, and sweeps you away. Jazz knows no borders – there’s no right or wrong, only openness and tolerance,” Eskola sums up.
International Jazz Day and the Jazz Day Campaign
In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated April 30 as International Jazz Day to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role in uniting people around the world. For over a decade, jazz has been officially recognized as an art form that promotes peace, intercultural dialogue, diversity, and respect for human rights and dignity.
International Jazz Day is led by legendary pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, who serves as UNESCO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and chair of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.
In 2025, the Finnish Jazz Federation invites all Finns to join the celebration of UNESCO’s International Jazz Day through the Jazz Day campaign. Instructions for participation can be found on the Jazz Federation’s website here.