UNESCO chief voices sorrow after death of Cape Verdean singer Cesária Évora

The head of the United Nations cultural agency has expressed her deep sorrow after the death of the internationally renowned Cape Verdean singer Cesária Évora, who has passed away at the age of 70.

Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said yesterday that with the death of Ms. Évora, “the world has lost a great singer, the carrier of a soft and passionate voice for Africa and the rapprochement of cultures.”

Ms. Évora, who died on Saturday, was known as the “barefoot diva” and is considered perhaps the world’s best known exponent of morna, a music and dance genre which evokes the longing of Cape Verdeans.

She performed with her orchestra at UNESCO headquarters in 2009 for an event marking the 20th anniversary of the Felix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize.

Ms. Évora was also known for her efforts supporting the work of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) as a Goodwill Ambassador.