“The Language of Art and Music” is an international conference  that will explore the potential for art and music to offer a neutral platform for cultural exchange. Artists and speakers from the fields of musicology, cultural anthropology, art history, literary theory, and other related academic disciplines will share their perspectives alongside politicians, diplomats, civil society practitioners, musicians, artists, and other stakeholders.

The use of culture and art to promote dialogue and understanding is a field which, although it has been the subject of much scholarly attention, has had little impact on the behaviour and activities of national governments and other stakeholders in international relations. Moreover, whilst there is a widespread agreement of the value of culture and art in raising awareness of cultural differences, there is less understanding of the potential for culture and art to offer a neutral platform for cultural exchange, to transform cultural differences and unite people through emotions. “The Language of Art and Music” will work to bridge the gap between theory and practice by bringing together academic experts from the field with key figures in international relations to discuss the importance of these artistic disciplines. An interdisciplinary discussion on the theory behind cultural exchange will be followed by analysis of diverse case studies from across the world.