Enhancing Cultural Identity Accessible and Sustainable through Music Education
Plenary Speaker
23 August 2023
17:15 - 18:00 hrs (GMT+7)
C 501
The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development serves as a global framework for sustainable development, and comprises 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This comprehensive agenda places great importance on education for sustainable development, promoting the acquisition of knowledge and skills that foster sustainable lifestyles, gender equality, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and the contribution of culture to sustainable development. To further emphasise the significance of education, UNESCO highlights the concept of "living heritage" as a “source of community-based resilience” that can be passed on to younger generations, enabling them to understand their values and culture. This can be the key pillar of education which plays a crucial role in improving people's well-being, enhancing their talents, promoting harmony among communities and countries, and accelerating an economy based on equity and inclusion.
Music represents a vital aspect of cultural identity and can not be separated from culture. Although each society has its unique musical culture, they sometimes carry similarities. Both Thailand and Türkiye are two examples that share similar structure in being diverse in culture and in recognizing oral traditions. This high-value intangible cultural heritage needs to be preserved according to the concept of the United Nations’ sustainable development, which encourages the harmonisation of the present and future. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which strives for inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all, music and music education are also priorities for the International Music Council (IMC), working in support of UNESCO's goals. The IMC advocates for access to music for all and has proclaimed five musical rights, including the right ""to have access to musical involvement through participation, listening, creation, and information."" In line with this goal, this presentation will offer practical resources to enhance the learning and teaching of music within a cultural context, ensuring that music remains accessible and sustainable for all.