Roadmap for 2019: The Five Music Rights in Action
Paris, 16 June 2017. - The 37th General Assembly of the International Music Council took place in Pafos (Cyprus), 11–12 June 2017, in the framework of the 7th European Forum on Music which looked at the theme “Music and Cultural Diplomacy: Linking Continents – Bridging Cultures”.
The 7th edition of the European Forum on Music gathered music practitioners, networks, organizations, teachers, emerging professionals, and music enthusiasts in Pafos to explore how civil society initiatives engage in this field, and how music can build bridges and be a tool for peace and social cohesion.
The General Assembly offered an invaluable opportunity for members, the Executive Board and the Secretariat team to exchange about past and future IMC programmes and projects.
During the next two years leading up to the 70th anniversary of the IMC in 2019, the International Music Council will - in cooperation with its members and through its Regional Music Councils – continue to focus its efforts on implementing “The Five Music Rights in Action”. This 4-year programme discussed and approved at the previous General Assembly in 2015 comprises 10 strategic objectives to be realized under three major action lines:
a) Mapping the Five Music Rights
b) Operationalizing the Five Music Rights
c) Promoting the Five Music Rights
Policy-making and advocacy, collaboration and information exchange, projects and research, membership services will continue to be IMC’s modalities of action.
The membership of the IMC also adopted a series of key decisions that will pave the way to building greater capacity of the organization and its members and to work towards its vision to be the world’s leading professional organization dedicated to the promotion of the value of music in the lives of all people.
A very special attention will be given in this context to the elaboration and implementation of a digital agenda for the music sector.
The General Assembly elected Emily Achieng’ Akuno (Kenya), Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs at The Co-operative University of Kenya, as President for a 2-year term. Ms Akuno is the first women and the second African in IMC history to access this position.
As President of the International Music Council, Ms. Akuno will be joined in the IMC Board's Directorate by Alfons Karabuda (Sweden) as Executive Vice-President and Martí Ferrer (Spain) as Treasurer. The Executive Board is completed by Charles Binam Bikoi (Cameroon), Jesse Boere (Netherlands/UAE), Paul Dujardin (Belgium), Allin Gray (Ireland), Georg Schulz (Austria), Benjamin Woodroffe (Australia/Switzerland), Sheila Woodward (South Africa/United States) and Xiaogang Ye (China).
Composed of representatives from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe, the Executive Board also represents expertise in a wide diversity of fields including creators’ rights, artistic freedom, community music, research and documentation, cultural diplomacy, audience development and education.
The European Forum on Music and IMC General Assembly offered the perfect setting for the 5th edition of the IMC Music Rights Awards which were presented on June 10th by then IMC President Paul Dujardin and IMC Five Music Rights Champion Ramy Essam.
This year’s Awards were given to the following projects and programmes:
Teaching Music in Pakistan, an inspiring programme, run by the Pakistan Special Education Centers, which provides access to music education for children with special education needs and disabilities, thereby transforming their lives through music. The programme was nominated by ISME – The International Society for Music Education.
Festival sur le Niger, an inspiring initiative managed by the Festival sur le Niger Foundation that contributes to the development of cultural industries in Mali and enhances the national cultural and artistic heritage, using the promotion of culture as a tool for peace and stability. Nomination was made by the National Music Council of Cameroon.
Give Music a Future, an imaginative programme, designed and nominated by EMCY (European Union of Music Competitions for Youth) and co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, that develops new strategies for audience development at youth music competitions and boosts the career of young emerging European musicians.
The IMC Music Rights Awards are intended to offer strong recognition and reward to programmes and projects that give exemplary support to one or more of the Five Music Rights, thereby promoting these Rights and IMC’s commitment to them. IMC members and other organisations are thus encouraged to give active support to the Five Music Rights.