Zhang Zhang – Keynote Speaker

In 2021 Zhang Zhang’s tribune for French journal Le Figaro was downloaded 120,000 times during the first week of its publication. A strong defender of universalism and equality, her opinion and humanitarian work through musical arts continues to break down barriers and create bridges between different cultures.

Laureate of Prix Jean Pierre-Bloch in 2021, named after French resistance leader, the award created by Licra: International League against Racism and antisemitism dedicated to artiste whose work contributed towards peace, universalism values against hatred and discrimination. HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco personally present the award to Zhang Zhang in Paris, acknowledging her work and engagement toward peace and progress.

Zhang Zhang is a classical violinist graduated from Rice University in the USA and the Lausanne Conservatory of Music in Switzerland, member of the L’Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo since 2000, founder of The Monaco String Quartet Ensemble since 2021, and Soloiste of the Royal Opera of Versailles since 2019, Zhang Zhang founded the NGO ZHANGOMUSIQ in 2007, innovating the traditional business model of live concert to social entrepreneurial model where musical concerts contributes immediately and concretely to humanitarian, ecological and educational projects around the world. In the past 15 years, ZHANGOMUSIQ has created more than 70 projects benefiting NGOs of 36 countries. Including school for girls in Afghanistan, natural disaster relief in South America, educational aide in africa, environmental projects in Europe.

As opinion leader, Zhang Zhang has published tribunes and opinions in Le Figaro, Le Point, Le Droit de Vivre, Libération, Figaro Madame, People’s Daily, Monaco Madame, Monaco Tribune. Featured by Europe 1, Radio Classic, TVMonaco, TV5 Monde, CCTV4, NeoTV, Monaco Now and France 5.
TEDx speaker, columnist for the official journal of Licra-International League against Racism and Antisemitism.
Her autobiography “La voie de l’Archet” was published by Fayard is now available worldwide since September 2023.

From Mao’s China to the Mediterranean shores of Monte Carlo, violinist Zhang Zhang gives us an inspiring account of an extraordinary journey, one that deserves to be called a destiny, to give each of us the courage to take our own back into our own hands. As a child Zhang lived with her brother and parents in a nine-square-meter room in Beijing, Zhang Zhang experienced exile, fear, destitution and the mistreatment of her father, who was obsessed with the idea of making her a virtuoso but didn’t care to send her to school. It was only through tenacity and resilience, but also the grace of life-saving encounters, that she became what she is today: an accomplished artist and humanitarian committed to peace and universalism.

Symbols of wisdom, benevolence and daring, the dragons of Chinese mythology are not born dragons: they have to become them. In Zhang Zhang they have found their best disciple.

Born during the Cultural Revolution near the ruins of Beijing’s former Summer Palace, Zhang Zhang grew up as a nomadic child in Asia, North America and Europe. A classical violinist by training, an adventurer by nature and a humanitarian by commitment, she is a member of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, founder of Zhangomusiq and the Monaco String Quartet Ensemble, soloist with the Opéra royal de Versailles, public speaker, and a tireless promoter of peace, progress and human rights.