Paris, 25 May 2026 — The Global Youth Dialogue among Civilizations Alliance (GYDCA) hosted the international online webinar “Harmony of Civilizations – Global Music Dialogue: Deepening Understanding Among Cultures Through Music Education” as the opening event of UNESCO Culture and Arts Education Week 2026.
The webinar drew scholars, music educators, cultural practitioners, young performers and international participants from across regions to examine how music education can work as a bridge between civilizations. Built on the premise that music is a universal language crossing borders, cultures and generations, the event traced music’s role in intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding, creativity and peace.
The programme opened with a video message from Ms. Cecilia Barbieri, Chief of Section for Global Citizenship and Peace Education, who set out why culture and arts education matters for dialogue, inclusive learning and youth engagement within UNESCO Culture and Arts Education Week.
Opening remarks followed from Prof. Qi Yue, Coordinator and Chairman of the Project, Executive Dean of the Chinese Classical Music Research Institute at Renmin University of China and Professor of Music and Arts Management. He laid out the webinar’s vision and made the case for music education as a route to deeper understanding among cultures and to long-term cooperation between young musicians, educators and institutions.
The keynote session gathered four speakers from Uzbekistan, Brazil, South Korea and France, each working from their own cultural, academic and institutional vantage point.
Prof. Eldor Uralovich Shermanov from Uzbekistan, Rector of the Institute of Uzbek National Musical Art named after Yunus Rajabiy, opened the session. A PhD in Pedagogical Sciences and the author of numerous textbooks, manuals, articles and monographs, he argued that music education serves not only aesthetic development but peacebuilding, intercultural solidarity and the preservation of cultural identity. Drawing on Uzbekistan’s maqom and folk traditions, he pointed to digital technologies and artificial intelligence as tools for preserving national musical heritage and opening global cultural exchange to young people.
Prof. Dr. Fernando Hashimoto from Brazil, Dean of the Institute of Arts at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), followed with insights from Brazil’s musical landscape. A Full Professor of Percussion who has performed in more than 34 countries, he examined music as a tool for dialogue, social inclusion and peacebuilding, tracing how Brazilian traditions carry Indigenous, African, European and migrant influences, and how community youth orchestras, school programmes, festivals and intercultural exchanges can strengthen citizenship, cultural recognition and democratic coexistence.
Prof. Lee Dong-soo from South Korea, Professor of Culture and Arts Management at Sangmyung University, also contributed. Vice President of the International Federation of Arts Management, Chairman of the Asian Arts Management Center and research advisor to government cultural institutions, he focused on the management and institutional side — how structured arts programmes, international collaboration and cultural management frameworks can sustain dialogue among civilizations.
The final keynote came from Dr. Anne-Léonore Dardenne of France, Deputy Director of the École Supérieure de Musique Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, on how higher music education can create conditions for intercultural dialogue. With over thirteen years in higher music education and a background in political science, diplomacy and Japanese studies, she reflected on institutions’ responsibility to build genuine spaces for listening, encounter and cooperation — harmony, she stressed, meaning not uniformity but different voices coexisting and building something in common.
After the keynotes came a series of pre-recorded performances, giving participants a musical counterpart to the academic discussion.
Central Axis Anthem, with lyrics by You Fu and music by Yicen Shi, celebrated Beijing’s Central Axis through music and bilingual lyrics, tying architectural heritage, urban memory and cultural identity into contemporary artistic storytelling.
L’Hymne à l’amour featured Gersende, an 18-year-old French singer, songwriter and performer who has appeared at events including The Voice Kids as part of the Olympic Games and Printemps de Bourges.
The Middle School Orchestra of Beijing Haidian Foreign Language Experimental School, founded in 2019 with more than 80 members, is dedicated to developing young musical talent.
The panel was moderated by Prof. Wang Lu, Associate Professor of Music at Brown University — a composer drawing on urban soundscapes, linguistic intonation, traditional Chinese music, improvisation and contemporary instrumental technique, with works performed by the New York Philharmonic and Ensemble Intercontemporain among others, and a 2014 Guggenheim Fellow. Four international speakers joined her, from Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Italy and Vietnam.
Mr. Asuquo Aniefiok Emmanuel from Nigeria, Founder and Artistic Director of Hope Centre for Modern Music and Co-founder of JEEN-TRIBE Paris, spoke from his experience in music education, artist empowerment and inclusive pedagogy. Founder of H.O.M.E. (Helping Other Musicians Excel), he has worked across education, performance and music therapy with a particular focus on children with special needs and sensory development.
Prof. Silviu Cobeanu from the United Kingdom, Associate Professor in Music Management and Programme Director of the MA Music Management at the University of Leeds, took up music management in international dialogue and cultural diplomacy. Drawing on over 25 years as a concert promoter, arts marketing consultant and classically trained singer, he considered how institutions and global partnerships can sustain cultural exchange.
Prof. Salvatore Spanò from Italy, Vice Dean of Conservatorio Lucio Campiani di Mantova, brought the perspective of a pianist and educator. Born in Marsala, Sicily, he has won national and international piano competitions and performed across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and the Middle East, and pressed the importance of performance education, artistic excellence and international collaboration.
Dr. Tran Thi Thuy from Vietnam, Senior Researcher at the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences, contributed on cultural diplomacy, cultural industries, soft power and regional academic collaboration. With over 15 years in China Studies and cultural research, she stressed cultural understanding, institutional cooperation and research-based dialogue as the basis for stronger international exchange.
Between them, the panellists made the case for music education as more than technical training — as a platform for empathy, cooperation, community engagement, cultural identity and peacebuilding.
Global Youth Music Initiative 2026–2027
A major highlight was the official launch of the Global Youth Music Initiative 2026–2027, under the theme “Connecting Cultures Through Music.”
The initiative is built as a global platform encouraging young musicians and organisations worldwide to share their creativity, cultural stories and musical expression, in service of intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding and cultural exchange.
Musicians — individuals or organisations — are invited to submit a video of no more than five minutes presenting a piece of creative musical storytelling. Submissions may be performances, compositions or music-based narratives reflecting cultural identity, exchange or dialogue. Participants upload their videos to YouTube or Bilibili and submit the link through the official channel.
The submission deadline is 31 December 2026. Selection runs in two stages: submitted videos are first evaluated on public engagement (views, likes and overall reach), then the top 20 percent most-viewed are shortlisted for review by an international expert panel. Final works are chosen on artistic quality, cultural relevance, creativity and storytelling impact.
Selected works will have the chance to be showcased during UNESCO Culture and Arts Education Week 2027, and, subject to conditions, selected artists may be invited to Paris to take part live. Further submission guidelines and evaluation details will follow on the official GYDCA website.
Through this webinar under the frame of UNESCO Culture and Arts Education Week, GYDCA continued its work promoting dialogue among civilizations and creating platforms for youth engagement, intercultural understanding and international cooperation. We look forward to continued collaboration in advancing cultural and arts education as a route toward mutual understanding and lasting peace.
