From Seoul to Bonn 2011

From Seoul to Bonn - Translating the Goals for the Development of Arts Education for Music in Europe

On 16 May 2011 the EMC held a highly successful seminar on music education in cooperation with the UNESCO Commission Germany. Entitled From Seoul to Bonn – Translating the Goals for the Development of Arts Education to Music in Europe, the seminar explored the impact of the Seoul Agenda: Goals for the Development of Arts Education in Europe concentrating on the three goals in the document:

Access
Quality
Social and Cultural Challenges

The UNESCO Seoul Agenda is a major outcome of UNESCO's Second World Conference on Arts Education held in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, in May 2010.

A wide range of representatives active in the field of music education made their way from all parts of Europe to the exquisite setting of the Deutsche Welle Building in Bonn, Germany, to take part in the EMC seminar on music education. Through interactive discussions they were given the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas and to examine the factors which constitute formal, non-formal and informal music education in European countries today, whilst working together towards producing a first set of recommendations for a Bonn Declaration on Music Education in Europe.

♦ Keynote Speech

As keynote speaker during its music education seminar hosted in cooperation with the German UNESCO Commission, the European Music Council was happy to welcome Ms. Christine Merkel, Head of the Division for Culture and Communication. In her highly inspiring presentation, Ms. Merkel gave a thorough insight into the significant amount fo work which UNESCO has committed to reto the topic of arts education, bringing particular attention to the 2nd UNESCO World Conference on Arts Education, which took place in May 2010 in Seoul, Rep. of Korea, of which the major outcome was theSeoul Agenda: Goals for the Development of Arts Education.

In her speech Ms. Merkel gave participants a solid introduction to this pivotal document by closely examining the three goals set out in the Agenda and their meaning for the international community, outlining three main points:

There is a need for a renewal in the fields of arts education. The education system should ensure that arts education is sustainable and accessible.
Aiming at enhancing the quality of arts education and music education respectively first cultural operators have to maintain what "good quality" really means.
There is a need to open up politicians’ minds and in general to make society as a whole aware of the interdisciplinary benefits of music education which amongst others enhances creativity and cognitive skills.

You can view Ms. Merkel's entire presentation here.

♦ The UNESCO Seoul Agenda: Goals for the Development of Arts Education

The Seoul Agenda: Goals for the Development of Arts Education is a major outcome of UNESCO’s Second World Conference on Arts Education held in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, on 25 – 28 May 2010.

The Seoul Agenda calls upon UNESCO Member States, civil society, professional organisations and communities to recognise its governing goals, to employ the proposed strategies, and to implement the action items in a concerted effort to realize the full potential of high quality arts education to positively renew educational systems, to achieve crucial social and cultural objectives, and ultimately to benefit children, youth and life-long learners of all ages.

You can view the full document in English, French and Spanish here.

You may also want to read an article by Anne Bamford, Head of the so called "Engine Room" of the University of the Arts London and Head of the UNESCO research group on "The Wow Factor: Global research compedium on the impact of the arts education", which was published in the latest edition of the EMC's annual magazine "Sounds in Europe". Ms. Bamford's article "Setting the Agenda for cultural change in the 21st Century" serves as an excellent insight into the challenges and opportunities we are faced when attempting to implement the goals set in the Seoul Agenda.

You can view the full article here.

♦ Input of the EMC Working Group on Music Education

Ahead of the EMC seminar "From Seoul to Bonn - Translating the Goals for the Development of Arts Education to Music in Europe" the European Music Council asked members of the EMC Working Group on Music Education for their first input into how to best implement and promote the three goals set out in the Seoul Agenda in the European music sector.

In her presentation Simone Dudt, EMC Secretary General, summarised the feedback received by the Working Group. Simone Dudt's presentation summarising the EMC Working Group on Music Education input can be viewed here.

♦ Final summary and reflections

During the seminar participants were split up into 3 groups each attending 3 satellite session in which they discussed the current situation of the European music education sector and recommendations for the implementation and promotion of the three goals set in the Seoul Agenda in European music life. The three sessions each dealt with one of the three goals set out in the Seoul Agenda Access, Quality and Social and Cultural Challenges, and were chaired by Timo Klemettinen, EMC chair, Helena Maffli, EMC board member and Claire Goddard, EMC board member and chair of the EMC's Working Group Youth.

The outcome of this fruitful and diverse exchange will be summed up in a Bonn Declaration on Music Education in Europe.

The first draft of the Bonn Declaration bringing together the input made by the EMC's Working Group on Music Education as well as the recommendations collected during the seminar is currently being prepared. The fnal version will be available online at the end of summer.