Music for Peace, Advocacy and Social Change

Mariela Shaker is an accomplished Syrian violinist who escaped the war in Syria after receiving a music scholarship to Monmouth College in 2013. Unable to return back home, she applied for asylum in the United States and received another scholarship for pursuing her master’s in music performance at DePaul University. Through it all, Shaker’s passion is to deliver a message of peace and love through music.

Mariela's message will aim to empower women and youth around the globe through her personal story and music and prove that when we have a will nothing can be impossible.

Shaker uses her music to build bridges and raise awareness of the plight of the Syrian people. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, for members of Congress, and was honored at the White House as a champion of change. Most recently, she performed and spoke at the United Nations, UNHCR and Harvard University. Her courageous story has been profiled by The Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, Buzz Feed and The Washington Post.