From an article by Marie Pozdniakov
Three Cafés Gourmands, Magic System... for the first peace concert
On 21 September, the Live Peace association is organising a peace concert in Annecy's Parc des Vignières-Pommaries. Artists such as Magic System, Trois Cafés Gourmands and many others will thrill some 6,000 people. Emmanuel Piegay, co-founder of Live Peace, takes a behind-the-scenes look at the organisation of this event.
How did the idea for a peace concert in Annecy come about?
"I met the director of the PVG hotel group in Haute-Savoie at the bakery by chance. I told him about my project, and he immediately gave me his support. The PVG group is financing the concert to the tune of 240,000 euros. They will also take care of the food trucks and refreshment stands on site. As far as publicity for the event is concerned, a poster campaign is planned, financed by the City of Annecy. They are also the ones who suggested the Vignières-Pommaries park site to us".
How are you going to transform the Parc Vignières-Pommaries into a free concert venue?
"These 15,000 square metres will be fitted out with barriers to keep track of the number of people entering for security reasons. We also have an agreement with the police. So far, 2,100 tickets have been reserved online. An evening like this has a budget of nearly €500,000, bearing in mind that many local service providers have slashed their prices in support of the initiative.
Is the choice of programme strategic?
"Of course! The aim is to attract as many people as possible, so we have three headliners for this event (our edition of August 5): Magic System, who are UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors, Trois Cafés Gourmands and Joachim Garraud. We also want to produce local artists. We want the music to be local and eclectic, so that it appeals to as many people as possible. As far as the organisation is concerned, there will be just one stage, where the smaller artists will perform for between 15 and 30 minutes, while the headliners will stay on stage for nearly an hour".
How did the Live Peace association come into being?
"Live Peace was founded in March 2022. Personally, I've been working in the events sector for 20 years, and I also organise the Compagnie Cup, an inter-company multi-sport challenge in Annecy. I wanted to follow the model of the Fête de la musique on 21 June, which originated in France and is now celebrated in nearly 120 countries. The aim was to create a citizens' movement in the form of a musical event, with the strong message "We Want Peace". It all clicked after the start of the war in Ukraine. I wasn't the only one who had this idea. When I got in touch with the International Peace Bureau, they informed me that the idea had already emerged in Germany, notably with Marilyn Heib, who eventually co-founded the association with me.
What does the future hold for Live Peace?
"We hope to stage another concert near Paris next year, on 21 September 2026, at the Hippodrome d'Enghien-Soisy. With a minimum donation of €100,000, the project will be feasible in due course. The association also has a clear vocation to grow, to attract other partners and to organise concerts around the world every 21 September to mark the International Day of Peace".
