PARIS, 26 October 2026 — Mongolia's pioneering rock band THE HU took the stage at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Monday evening for "Pump Up The Volume For Peace," performing songs from their recent album HUN and announcing a fan-supported donation to UNESCO, in a celebration of living heritage, dialogue and peace that put centuries-old Mongolian traditions at the centre of a modern rock concert.
Illustration: Mongolian rock musicians performing on a grand stage in Paris with horsehead fiddles under warm stage lights.
What Happened
THE HU performed at UNESCO's Paris headquarters on Monday, 26 October 2026, at an event titled "Pump Up The Volume For Peace," according to UNESCO and reports of the concert published on 27 and 28 October. The evening event, held in Room I at UNESCO headquarters on avenue de Suffren in Paris, celebrated the role of culture and artists in promoting peace, dialogue and intercultural understanding, and highlighted UNESCO's mission to safeguard living heritage and cultural diversity around the world.
During the performance, the band played songs from their recent album HUN and announced a donation to UNESCO supported by their global fanbase, reaffirming what UNESCO described as a shared mission to protect tangible and intangible cultural traditions for future generations. The reports of the event did not specify the amount of the donation, and this article does not state one.
Galaa, THE HU's lead throat singer and Morin Khuur player, spoke about the purpose of the evening in remarks reported by UNESCO and music outlets. "We are very grateful to be donating back to UNESCO with the help of our fans and promoting peace in our messaging," he said. "On this event, we hope to not only inspire people to keep their history alive by using their ancient instruments to create depth but also hope to promote peace across the world in this tumultuous time. Everyone's voice matters and we want every one of you to use your unique voice to inspire others and promote peace."
UNESCO's own account of the event, published on 27 October and updated on 28 October, described the performance in similar terms, saying the band's work mirrors UNESCO's efforts to safeguard intangible cultural heritage — not only by documenting traditions, but by keeping them meaningful, visible and part of everyday life. "True to its name, 'Pump Up the Volume for Peace' carried a powerful message that, in a world marked by conflict and division, we share one common identity as human beings, and that celebrating our identities enriches us and brings us closer together," UNESCO wrote.
Background
THE HU were founded in 2016 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and have won worldwide recognition for creating a genre they call "Hunnu Rock," which combines heavy metal and rock music with traditional Mongolian instruments and vocal techniques. Their performances feature the Khöömei throat-singing tradition, the tsuur flute and the Morin Khuur, the horsehead fiddle — all recognised by UNESCO as elements of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The band's name itself carries a message. According to UNESCO, "HU" derives from the root word for "human being" in the Mongolian language, reflecting the group's humanistic commitment. Through their music, the band address themes including respect for diversity, gender equality, environmental protection and cultural identity, and they are committed to preserving linguistic diversity through the use of regional dialects at risk of disappearing.
In November 2022, THE HU were named UNESCO Artists for Peace, in recognition of their contribution to promoting and transmitting Mongolian cultural heritage worldwide and their commitment to the values of cultural diversity, dialogue and mutual understanding championed by UNESCO. In recognition of their international success and contribution to Mongolian culture, the band's members have also been awarded the title of Cultural Envoy of Mongolia and have received the Order of Genghis Khan, the country's highest state honour, according to UNESCO.
Illustration: Traditional Mongolian instruments, a horsehead fiddle and a flute, resting on a wooden table beside sheet music.
Why It Matters
The Paris performance matters because it shows how living heritage can travel. Intangible heritage — the songs, instruments, vocal techniques and knowledge passed from person to person — survives only while people keep practising it. When a band fuses throat singing and the horsehead fiddle with electric guitars and a global touring schedule, those traditions reach listeners who might never visit a museum exhibition or read an academic study, and younger audiences in particular encounter them as living, evolving art rather than as relics.
It also matters because UNESCO's Artists for Peace programme is built on exactly that idea: that artists can carry a message further than an institution alone. UNESCO says its work on intangible heritage goes beyond documenting traditions to ensuring they remain meaningful and visible in everyday life, that communities are supported in passing on their knowledge and skills, and that young people are encouraged to engage with their living heritage. A concert at UNESCO headquarters, in front of an international audience, is a deliberately public way of making that case.
The timing adds weight to the message. UNESCO framed the event as a celebration of peace and dialogue "in a world marked by conflict and division," and Galaa's own remarks returned to the same theme: keeping history alive, using ancient instruments to create depth, and promoting peace "in this tumultuous time." The donation announced at the concert, backed by fans around the world, turns that message into practical support for heritage work, even though the amount was not publicly specified in the reports available.
What Happens Next
For audiences, the most immediate next step is the band's ongoing tour. THE HU continue their Warrior Chant Tour across Europe and the United Kingdom, giving fans who could not attend the Paris event a chance to hear the same blend of ancient instruments and modern rock in concert halls closer to home. UNESCO's published account of the Paris event, including photographs from the performance, remains available for those who want to revisit the evening.
For UNESCO, the event fits into a wider programme of work on living heritage that continues well beyond a single concert: supporting communities in passing on knowledge and skills, encouraging young people to engage with heritage, and promoting creativity as a driving force of culture. The fan-supported donation announced in Paris will, according to the band and UNESCO, support that mission of protecting tangible and intangible traditions for future generations, though neither side has published a breakdown of how the funds will be used.
For THE HU themselves, the Paris performance reinforces a dual identity they have built since 2016: a rock band with a global audience, and cultural ambassadors whose instruments and vocal traditions are themselves the message. Their recent album HUN and the songs performed in Paris show that identity still evolving — old sounds, played with new energy, in front of new audiences.
And for listeners discovering the band for the first time through the UNESCO event, the invitation Galaa issued from the Paris stage still stands: to keep history alive, to use one's own unique voice, and to promote peace. In a concert built around instruments centuries old and music unmistakably of today, that message landed exactly as intended — loudly, and in harmony.
Illustration: A grand cultural headquarters building in Paris at dusk with flags and people arriving for an evening concert.
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FAQ
Who are THE HU?
THE HU are a Mongolian rock band founded in 2016 in Ulaanbaatar. They created "Hunnu Rock," a genre combining heavy metal and rock with traditional Mongolian instruments and vocal techniques, including Khöömei throat singing, the tsuur flute and the Morin Khuur horsehead fiddle.
What was the "Pump Up The Volume For Peace" event?
It was a concert and celebration held on Monday, 26 October 2026, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, highlighting the role of culture and artists in promoting peace, dialogue and intercultural understanding, and UNESCO's mission to safeguard living heritage and cultural diversity.
What did THE HU announce at the event?
Alongside performing songs from their recent album HUN, the band announced a donation to UNESCO supported by their global fanbase, to help protect tangible and intangible cultural traditions for future generations. Reports of the event did not specify the donation's amount.
Why are THE HU UNESCO Artists for Peace?
They were named UNESCO Artists for Peace in November 2022 in recognition of their contribution to promoting and transmitting Mongolian cultural heritage worldwide, and their commitment to cultural diversity, dialogue and mutual understanding. They have also been named Cultural Envoys of Mongolia and received the Order of Genghis Khan.
What is living heritage, and why does UNESCO protect it?
Living heritage, or intangible cultural heritage, covers traditions, knowledge and skills passed from person to person — songs, instruments, crafts, rituals and languages. UNESCO works to keep such traditions meaningful and visible in everyday life, so communities can pass them on and young people can engage with them, rather than losing them to neglect or change.
Sources
- UNESCO, "UNESCO Artist for Peace The HU Celebrate Mongolia's Living Heritage", published 27 October 2026, updated 28 October 2026
- UNESCO, "The HU, UNESCO Artist for Peace, to showcase the power of music for peace at UNESCO Headquarters", event notice for 26 October 2026
- Blabbermouth, "THE HU Celebrates Living Heritage, Dialogue And Peace At Special UNESCO Event", 28 October 2026
- Rock News UK, "The Hu UNESCO Event: Artists For Peace Performance", 28 October 2026
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