Founded by Wissam Boustany in 1995, Towards Humanity is an enduring, non-political initiative, which uses the inspirational qualities of music as a catalyst to support the humanitarian work of charities and individuals in many parts of the globe. The inaugural event took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London on February 2nd 1995. Its purpose was to provide a platform for peace in the Middle-East and raise funds for each of five charities in Beirut, Amman, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Cairo.
Since then, numerous events have raised funds and awareness for projects in several countries. In 1997 Wissam was awarded a knighthood by the Lebanese government (Chevalier de l'Ordre du Cèdre) in recognition of this work. On 3rd February 1998 he was also presented with the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Towards Humanity has gone on to capture the imagination of music lovers and communities in several countries. After running Towards Humanity as a charity for seven years, Wissam Boustany decided to discontinue its charitable status in order to support the work of wonderful charities more efficiently and directly. Towards Humanity continues now, as a simple idea, a musical statement of solidarity in support of our fragile humanity on this planet.
This multi-decade, multi-media initiative creates numerous charitable opportunities in the form of high-profile concerts, masterclasses, recordings, and other musical initiatives, combining the energies of musicians, humanitarian organisations, international media networks and influential companies, with the aim of inspiring cooperation for peace outside of the political arena.
Towards Humanity has released three CDs, 'Wandering Winds', 'Vivaldi's Children' and 'This Invisible World', incorporating the Towards Humanity concept and principles. The newest release, This Invisible World, is a double CD that aims to support visually impaired people around the world.