Music as a space for connection, relationships, and shared growth, bringing together people from different geographical, cultural, and social backgrounds.
This is the vision behind ABF Voices Of, the global educational program of Andrea Bocelli Foundation. Through choral singing, educational and recreational activities, residential experiences, and intercultural exchange, the program supports children and young people on a journey of personal development, active participation, and global citizenship.
At the heart of this journey is the Global Gathering, an international experience that allows participants to put into practice the values promoted throughout the year: listening, collaboration, participation, mutual recognition, appreciation of diversity, and shared responsibility.
In this article, we’ll explore ABF Voices Of in greater detail, examining the role of music as an educational tool and the importance of the Global Gathering as an experience of community, connection, and personal growth.
What is the ABF Voices Of program?
ABF Voices Of is Andrea Bocelli Foundation’s educational program that combines choral singing with a wide range of educational experiences to support the personal and collective development of children and young people living in vulnerable and high-complexity environments.
Launched in 2016 with a pilot project in Haiti, the program has gradually expanded and today includes active choirs in Haiti, Italy (Camerino and the Rione Sanità district of Naples), the Holy Land (Jerusalem and Bethlehem), and Uganda (Nabikabala, in the Namutumba District).
Although these communities differ greatly in geography, culture, and history, they share common challenges, including educational and economic poverty, the consequences of conflict or natural disasters, fragile public services, and limited access to safe educational and cultural spaces.
Designed for children and young people aged 6 to 16, ABF Voices Of is built around a long-term educational model that includes weekly choir rehearsals, educational workshops, opportunities for reflection and sharing, national Weekend Gatherings, and exchanges between the different program locations.
In every community, participants are supported by multidisciplinary local teams composed of educators, musicians, coordinators, and social professionals. Through this approach, the choir becomes an educational ecosystem where young people can express themselves, build meaningful relationships, develop life skills, and experience belonging to a wider global community.
Music as a tool for social inclusion and empowerment
Within ABF Voices Of, music extends far beyond artistic expression. It becomes one of the program’s most powerful educational tools, an experience through which participants learn to listen, collaborate, take responsibility, and contribute to a shared goal.
The program is rooted in the belief that education, art, and community can drive meaningful change, and that music, as a universal language, creates common ground between people who do not share the same language, culture, or life experience. Rather than erasing differences, it encourages authentic connections built upon them.
From this perspective, choral practice, combined with educational activities and shared daily experiences, helps create a genuine learning community where children and young people develop empathy, cooperation, shared responsibility, and an appreciation of diversity as a collective strength.
In communities affected by inequality, conflict, or educational poverty, music is not the end goal but the starting point. The choir offers participants a safe, welcoming, and participatory environment where they can grow, build trust, strengthen both personal and cultural identity, embrace curiosity, and gain skills they can bring back to their own communities, becoming agents of positive change themselves.
This educational vision aligns with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 4.7, which highlights the importance of promoting global citizenship, intercultural dialogue, and respect for cultural diversity through education as key elements of more inclusive and sustainable societies.
What is the Global Gathering and why is it important?
The ABF Global Gathering is one of the most significant milestones in the educational journey of ABF Voices Of. This international event brings together children and young people from all the program’s choirs, giving them the opportunity to meet, share experiences, and experience firsthand the values cultivated throughout the year.
Rather than serving as the conclusion of the program or simply showcasing musical achievements, the Gathering represents a central stage in a much broader educational journey carefully prepared over months, and often years.
It is an immersive experience in global citizenship where educational workshops, group discussions, creative laboratories, choir rehearsals, and opportunities to explore local communities enable participants to encounter different cultures, languages, and traditions while learning to share responsibilities and recognize themselves as members of one international community.
The true value of the Gathering lies in its ability to make tangible everything that ABF Voices Of builds over time through weekly rehearsals, educational activities, local Weekend Gatherings, and continuous work on personal and group development.
For many participants, it also represents their first experience away from home and their first direct encounter with different cultures, languages, customs, and ways of life.
Such an experience requires careful preparation, support, and collaboration among local teams, families, and communities, ensuring that every child can participate with confidence, safety, and awareness.
From July 20 to 29, 2026, this vision will come to life during the first ABF Global Gathering, bringing together more than 170 young singers from across the ABF Voices Of network in Italy, between Tuscany and Rome, alongside their multidisciplinary teams for a shared journey of learning, discovery, and intercultural exchange.
Who are the participants?
The protagonists of the ABF Global Gathering are the children and young choir members who take part in the local ABF Voices Of projects across the countries where the program operates.
Due to the ongoing challenges facing Haiti, the Haitian choir members will unfortunately be unable to travel to Italy. However, their journey through Voices Of Haiti will still be represented during the Gathering by their choir directors, who will share the story and impact of an educational project developed within one of the most vulnerable communities where ABF works.
Alongside the young participants, multidisciplinary local teams, including educators, musicians, coordinators, psychologists, social workers, nutritionists, and other support professionals, play a vital role. These teams accompany participants throughout the year, helping create the educational environment within each choir and supporting them throughout every stage of the Gathering.
More broadly, both the Gathering and ABF Voices Of involve families, local communities, and partner organizations, as participants return home equipped with new experiences, skills, and perspectives that contribute to positive change within their own communities.
In this way, ABF Voices Of fully reflects Andrea Bocelli Foundation’s mission of fostering community empowerment through personal growth, awareness, and active participation.
How the Gathering is organized
Organizing the Global Gathering requires extensive planning and coordination involving Andrea Bocelli Foundation, the multidisciplinary teams working across all participating countries, and the educational professionals who support participants throughout the year.
Every aspect of the experience is designed so that artistic activities naturally complement educational opportunities, reflection, and personal development, making the Gathering a true educational journey.
As mentioned, the first ABF Global Gathering will take place from July 20 to 29, 2026, with activities hosted across Tuscany and Rome.
From July 20 to 25, participants will take part in a rich program combining educational, artistic, expressive, and outdoor activities with shared choir rehearsals and intercultural exchange.
Rock climbing, theatre, circus arts, radio workshops, photography, creative laboratories, nature-based activities, and evenings dedicated to the cultures of participating countries will all become opportunities to develop teamwork, independence, mutual respect, and intercultural dialogue.
One of the most significant public moments will be the performance at the Teatro del Silenzio, where the young choir members will share the stage with Andrea Bocelli, founder of the Foundation, experiencing the responsibility and excitement of contributing to a collective artistic performance.
From July 26 to 29, the Gathering will continue in Rome with activities focused on discovering Italy’s cultural heritage, engaging with public institutions, and encouraging active participation in community life.
How to follow and support ABF Voices Of
Supporting ABF Voices Of means helping ensure the continuity of educational pathways that enable children and young people living in vulnerable contexts to express themselves, develop independence and interpersonal skills, encounter new cultures and perspectives, and strengthen their connection with their own communities while creating shared value and new opportunities for the future.
You can follow the activities of ABF Voices Of through the official channels of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation.
If you would like to make a concrete contribution to the Foundation’s work and learn more about the different ways to support ABF Voices Of, visit the “What You Can Do“ section of the Foundation’s website.
