History

The International Music Council IMC was founded in 1949  upon request of the Director General of UNESCI as a non-governmental advisory body to the agency on musical matters. Today it comprises national music committees of over sixty nations on all continents, some thirty international music organisations as well as some fifty honorary members. Regional secretariats   in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Arab countries and Latin America promote regional project and international cooperation under the aegis of IMC.

     The European National Committees decided to form a regional group of the IMC|UNESCO in Strasbourg in 1972, named European Regional Group (ERG). One of the main tasks of the ERG was to function as a brigde between the Western and the Eastern parts of the Europe. At the Annual Meeting 1992 in Lenzburg was changed to European Music Council of IMC|UNESCO. New guidelines were adopted at the Annual Meeting 1993 in Alicante-Spain.           

Mission

The European Music Council EMC is a platform for representatives of the National Music Councils and all organizations involved in the fields of music education, creation, performance, heritage etc. from all European countries. In line with UNESCO’s objectives, the International Music Council and European Music Council contribute to a better mutual understanding among peoples and their different cultures and to the right for all musical cultures to coexist.

AIMS

The European Music Council

• promotes musical life and education in Europe
• encourages young artists
• strengthens the IMC functions within Europe by encouraging closer and more effective cooperation between European National Committees and International Organisations of the IMC
• enables treatment of multilateral problems in European National Committees and musical life
• develops cooperation with other IMC Regional Groups and Secretariats
• observes the development of the European Union and Parliament
• cooperates with the Council of Europe