The event, supported by the Belt and Road Office of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, brought together over 300 scholars, artists, educators and cultural leaders from across the globe.

At the conference, EdUHK President Professor John Lee Chi-Kin noted that Hong Kong played a pivotal role as a ‘super connector’ in the Belt and Road Initiative, and ICOAC25 exemplified this by creating a vibrant platform for dialogue, collaboration and cultural preservation.

Officiated by senior representatives from the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, EdUHK, and China’s Foreign Ministry, the opening ceremony featured a keynote performance of Longa Farahfaza, a composition blending Arabic and Turkish musical traditions. The piece, led by Professor Wong Chuen-fung, set the tone for a conference rich in intercultural resonance.

“The Belt and Road Initiative is not only about trade and infrastructure,” said Mr Nicholas Ho Lik-chi, Commissioner for Belt and Road of the Government of the HKSAR. “It is equally about people-to-people exchanges and connectivity. Increasingly, we are seeing collaboration in education, arts, culture and creativity.”

ICOAC25 explored themes ranging from cultural heritage and identity to the role of technology in future cultural practice. Keynote speakers included internationally renowned scholars such as Professor Pamela Burnard (University of Cambridge), Professor Patricia Shehan Campbell (University of Washington), and Professor Ho Puay-peng (National University of Singapore). Their addresses highlighted the transformative power of music and the arts in diplomacy, education and cultural continuity.

Sessions delved into topics such as culturally responsive music curricula, innovation in Cantonese opera, and the intersection of arts policy and cultural diplomacy. Workshops and performances further enriched the programme, offering participants immersive experiences in traditional and contemporary artistic practices.

The conference concluded with The Dunhuang Soundscape, a mesmerising performance by the Hong Kong Gaudeamus Dunhuang Ensemble.