The 36th World Conference 2024 of International Society for Music Education (ISME) took place from July 28 to August 2, 2024, in Helsinki, Finland. The conference celebrated the 71st anniversary of the organization, which was founded by UNESCO in 1953, and aimed to promote the sustainable development of music education.

The theme of this year's conference was "Advocacy for Sustainability in Music Education," attracting over 1,500 participants from 63 countries and regions. The event included a main conference and eight pre-conference seminars held in the Nordic region, covering more than 1,200 roundtable discussions, paper presentations, and poster sessions.

During the conference, the organizer selected nine youth performing arts groups from more than 50 groups globally to perform in evening concerts. Among them was “Lacov”, the vocal jazz ensemble from EdUHK conducted by Dr. Steve Ho Sung-Chi (CCA), who delivered outstanding performances for the attendees.

In addition, this year's conference introduced the "Parsons Music Advocacy Award," sponsored by Parsons Music Corporation. This award focused on music education practices and advocacy activities, providing funding to individuals or groups to develop and implement local projects on music education advocacy. As music education advocacy is a long-term goal of ISME, the awarded projects had to have unique concepts and practices aimed at improving marginalization and underdevelopment in music education globally. A special task force from five global regions selected ten awardees, including Mr Gordon Lee Chun-lok, an alumnus of EdUHK and champion of the 8th World Harmonica Festival, from Hong Kong, China. His project aimed to help elderly people affected by Covid-19 improve their cardiopulmonary function through learning the harmonica.

ISME has over 2,000 members from 83 countries and regions, providing an academic exchange platform for music educators, researchers, and practitioners, fostering in-depth dialogue about sustainable music education practices. Notably, the number of music educators from China participating in this conference ranked second globally, reflecting the increasingly significant involvement of China in international arts and cultural education.

This conference held special historical significance as it marked the first time a President from China, Professor Leung Bo-Wah, led the organization since its establishment. Professor Leung is currently a professor at the Department of Cultural and Creative Arts and the Executive Director of the Xiqu and Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre of EdUHK, as well as serves as a visiting professor at several universities in mainland China, dedicated to promoting various fields of music education. His research expertise advocated empirical research and practical application to enhance the theory and practice of music education.

Professor Leung stated, "Celebrating ISME's 71 years highlighted the importance of global music education. Through collaboration and knowledge sharing, we addressed the challenges of 21st-century music education."

By participating in workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, attendees gained in-depth insights into new ideas and methods. The emphasis on sustainability in the conference theme underscored the necessity for music education to adapt to current global challenges, ensuring its continued relevance and impact. With the growing global focus on sustainability, ISME strives to lead music education in contributing to a sustainable future, fostering meaningful connections, and inspiring educators to innovate and practice towards this vision.

The ISME World Conference has been a grand event for global music educators. By advocating for sustainability and promoting international cooperation, ISME was committed to ensuring that music education not only survived but also thrived in the future.