Young Ambassadors, 1979, Russia
One of the original groups represented by Performing Arts Management, the BYU Young Ambassadors have been performing their inspired medley of dance, song, and storytelling across cultural boundaries for half a century. The group was welcomed to India by Indira Gandhi, met Mother Teresa and her sisters, and performed for a princess of Thailand. In Thailand the profits from their performance built an entire wing of the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health.
When the United States started to forge diplomatic relations with China in 1979, the Young Ambassadors were one of the first Western university performing groups to be invited into the country. Their first appearance was a test, performed in front of artistic elite. Throughout the rest of the tour, they were warmly received by more than 14,000 audience members. Their success prompted China to extend an invitation for them to return to China the following year, when their live performances were recorded and broadcast across the country. These performances would be shown on China Central Television daily for several months after their initial tour, establishing BYU as one of the best-known American universities in China for years to come.
Since then, the Young Ambassadors have traveled across thousands of miles to touch millions of hearts in 68 countries, each time with their reputation for excellence and wholesomeness preceding them.
