Honorary Doctorate from University of Florence

In June 2020, Daniel Barenboim was awarded an honorary master’s degree in International Relations and European Studies from the University of Florence. The academic distinction was conferred by the University in recognition of Barenboim’s role as a pianist and conductor of the highest caliber who has “contributed to the creation of international relations marked by pacifism and collaboration among peoples.”

One of Barenboim’s crowning contributions to global peace has been the extraordinary activity of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. Founded by Barenboim and scholar Edward Said in 1999, the orchestra has operated with the goal of “[seeking] to build a path of peace in the Middle East through the universal language of the music.”