Stevie Wonder To Play Special Concert In Marrakesh, Morocco For Blind Treaty Negotiators

Stevie Wonder will perform a special concert in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Friday.

The legendary musician is following through on a promise he made earlier this week to perform if negotiators with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) reached an agreement on a new treaty that would allow greater access to books for the blind and visually impaired around the world.

Wonder has been blind since birth, and the singer supported the effort, pushing negotiators to come to an agreement, Reuters points out.

"This is a legacy, a gift to future generations. So let's finalize a new agreement that opens doors to the world's written treasures and moves towards a future where there are no barriers to the expansion of knowledge and enjoyment of culture," Wonder said in a video statement earlier this week.

"Let's get this signed, sealed, delivered, and I'm yours," the singer continued. "Do this and I will come to Marrakesh and we will celebrate together."

On Thursday, the WIPO, which is comprised of more than 600 negotiators from 186 states, announced they had reached a consensus.

The purpose of the agreement, which will be called the “Marrakesh Treaty,” is to require participating countries to adopt laws that allow for the publication and distribution of books in formats such as braille and audio books, according to Reuters. Easy access to books in such formats had previously been limited due to a plethora of copyright issues.

"This is a balanced treaty and represents a very good arbitration of the diverse interests of the various stakeholders," WIPO Director-General Francis Gurry said.

Now that the Marrakesh Treaty has been announced, Stevie Wonder will perform his promised concert this Friday at Palais des Congres in Marrakesh. Attendance to this event will be limited to the lucky members of the diplomatic conference.