The year 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the United Nations (hereinafter referred to as the “Convention”). As a State Party to the Convention, China currently has 44 itemsinscribed on UNESCO’s Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage, ranking first worldwide. With an increasing number of traditional Chinese music projects being included in ICH inventories at various levels, China has accumulated rich experience and produced substantial research outcomes in the field of musical intangible cultural heritage (hereinafter “musical ICH”). The year 2026 also marks the 60th anniversary of thefounding of Répertoire International de Littérature Musicale (RILM), amajor global resource platform for music research.
To commemorate these two important milestones, and in response to the call for high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as to further deepen international cooperation in the safeguarding and transmission of musical ICH, the International Academic Conference on the Safeguarding and Transmission of Musical Intangible Cultural Heritage under the Belt and Road Initiative is scheduled to be held in mid-to-late October 2026 (exact dates to be announced).
The conference is hosted by the Central Conservatory of Music and co-organized by RILM, the Belt and Road Music Education Alliance, the Editorial Office of the Journal of the Central Conservatory of Music, and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Research Center of the Central Conservatory of Music. Details of the conference are announced as follows.
I.Conference Objectives
This academic conference aims to provide a platform for discussion across the humanities, arts, and sciences, to assess and examine the achievements of musical ICH projects in China and worldwide; to explorehow Chinese (ethno)musicological research on ICH can serve the international community; and to consider how RILM’s presentation of ICH can meet the needs of ICH practitioners in China and other regions.
Focusing on “the role of music in ICH safeguarding,” the conference seeks to promote international academic exchange and to advance ICH preservation from the level of experiential summary to that of theoretical construction, responding to the urgent expectations for cultural exchange and cooperation among Belt and Road countries.
II.Conference Themes
Submissions related to musical ICH are welcome,including papers,panelsessions,poster presentations,and workshops.Topics include,but are not limited to,the following:
1. The past, present, and future of musical ICH in China
2. International development of musical ICH transmission and Chinese practices
3. Digitalization and practices in musical ICH safeguarding
4. Applications of (ethno)musicological knowledge in musical ICH practice
5. The role of musical ICH in (ethno)music education
III.Main Conference Formats
1. Academic Exchange: Multiple parallel sessions will be organized according to conference themes, covering topics such as the past, present, and future of Chinese musical ICH; international exchange and cooperation in ICH safeguarding; digitalization and musical ICH development;applications of (ethno)musicological knowledge; and the role of musical ICH in music education. Practical ICH workshops will also be held to share hands on experience.
2.High-Level Dialogue: Roundtable discussions will focus on key issues such as global achievements in musical ICH safeguarding, pathways for international cooperation, and the alignment between RILM’s presentation of ICH and practical needs.
3.Cultural Presentation: Three featured performances will be arranged,including an opening concert, a special concert of Chinese musical ICH,and a closing concert, showcasing the vitality of musical ICH.
4.Sharing of Outcomes: The conference will accept submissions in various formats, including papers, panel sessions, and poster presentations,providing a platform for the exchange of research findings.
IV.Participants and Call for Papers
The conference will be conducted bilingually in Chinese and English, with interpretation services provided. Participants will be selected through a combination of invitations and open calls. Renowned scholars in relevant fields will be invited worldwide, and additional participants will be selected from submitted proposals. Selected papers may be published in the Journal of the Central Conservatory of Music following peer review.
Prospective participants are requested to submit an abstract of no more than 500 Chinese characters or 300 English words, along with contact information (address, telephone number, and email), by May 30, 2026. Proposals for organized panel sessions are especially welcome.
Conference Contact Information:
Email: xbbjb@ccom.edu.cn
Contacts: Zhai Haoran; Zhi Zheng
Telephone: +86 (10) 6641 7541
Conference Organizing Committee
January 20, 2026