Raffi Cavoukian is known to millions simply as Raffi, a renowned Canadian singer once called “the most popular children’s singer in the western world” (Washington Post).

Raffi was a pioneer in music for children and families, bringing quality music to children with respect for their age and growing minds. Parents and educators embraced his music and his CDs, tapes, videos, and DVDs sold over 14 million copies in Canada and the US, and his books, more than 3 million copies. A generation saw him in concert and grew up singing Down by the Bay and Raffi’s signature song Baby Beluga. “Beluga grads” often tell him they’re now raising their own kids with his songs.

In his three-decade music career, Raffi refused all commercial endorsement offers, and his triple-bottom-line company never directly advertised or marketed to children. He is a passionate advocate for a child’s right to live free of commercial exploitation.

In the 1990’s Raffi turned his attention more fully towards global issues of sustainability and for his work has been recognized with many awards including the Order of Canada and the United Nations’ Earth Achievement Award, among others.

Raffi's years of working with children and educators has evolved into a philosophy that we all can apply to help create a viable future: a restorative, child-friendly world for ourselves and for those to come.

Raffi is Founder and Chair of the Centre for Child Honouring on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, which serves as an education hub for the advancement of Child Honouring as a universal ethic. www.childhonouring.org.

In the anthology Child Honouring: How To Turn This World Around —co-edited by Raffi, foreword by the Dalai Lama—luminaries from a number of disciplines join the call for a new covenant with the world’s children. (Published 2006) Raffi has also released two CDs with songs expressing the book's themes: Resisto Dancing, and Communion.

Show full bio

Hide full bio