Grammy winner leads music conference at Limerick's Mary Immaculate College

MARY IMMACULATE College (MIC) has hosted the 17th International Conference on Cultural Diversity in Music Education (CDIME).

From September 30 to October 2, the event was held in partnership with the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick (UL).

Rhiannon Giddens, a Grammy-winning artist and cultural advocate, known for her work reclaiming African American musical heritage, headlined the event as a keynote speaker.

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Joining her was Nasim Niknafs, a professor at the University of Toronto, whose research focuses on critical pedagogy and inclusive approaches to music education.

The landmark event brought nearly 100 delegates from more than 20 countries to Limerick, where they explored the theme, “Living Diversity, Imagining Inclusivity”.

Since its establishment in 1992, CDIME has travelled the globe, from Kathmandu to Cape Town, Helsinki and beyond, and continues to serve as a vital international forum for exchanging research, practice, and ideas on cultural diversity in music education.

This year’s gathering featured a rich programme of papers, panels, lightning talks, workshops, performances, a film screening, and a book launch, reflecting a diverse range of genres, practices, and traditions.

The conference also created space for solidarity with scholars and practitioners unable to travel due to geopolitical barriers or migration policies, by sharing their contributions digitally with delegates.

The event was led by Conference Chair, Dr Ailbhe Kenny, Associate Professor of Music Education at MIC.

Welcoming the event, Dr Ailbhe Kenny said, “We are very excited to welcome the global CDIME community to Limerick this year.

“This conference promises critical debate, deep reflection and progressive conversations around belonging and inclusivity in music education and related fields. It also builds on the four-year Research Ireland-funded MUSPACE project, which explores agency and belonging in intercultural schools,” explained Dr. Kenny.

The conference also featured the launch of Music Refuge: Living Asylum through Music by Dr Kenny, published by Oxford University Press.

The book explores how music creates spaces of belonging and hope for those seeking asylum and refuge.