Long-standing business relationships and Wellington’s ‘lively
cultural scene’ helped to secure the traditional music conference for the
capital city.
Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington will host international music
and dance scholars in 2025 for the World Conference of the International Council for Traditional Music
(ICTM), marking the first time the event has visited New Zealand.
The conference, which will
focus on Indigenous music and dance, will take place at Tākina Wellington
Convention and Exhibition Centre in January 2025 and is expected to attract
at least 800 delegates to the city for a programme of scholarly papers,
workshops and concerts.
Business Events
Wellington manager Irette Ferreira said the conference win draws on both Victoria
University of Welloing’s and New Zealand’s
long history of engagement with ICTM, plus the appeal of Wellington’s lively
cultural scene.
Along with support from Business Events Wellington, Brian
Diettrich, senior lecturer in Ethnomusicology at the
New Zealand School of Music, of Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of
Wellington (VUW) beat New Zealand’s drum to win the bid to host the
conference.
Diettrich, who is also an executive
board member of the International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM) and a
member of the Wellington Advocate Network, said:
“ICTM 2025 will be a fabulous cultural event for the city and a historical
undertaking for New Zealand.
“ICTM
2025 also demonstrates the global value of music research and scholarship,
including to the local economy and at a time when New Zealand universities have
proposed reductions in music. By contrast, scholars of music and dance across
the world will be congregating together in Wellington, speaking and singing the
value of music globally.”
Professor Lee Tong Soon, secretary general of ICTM added:
“ICTM is truly privileged to meet in Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington, under the
auspices of Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington. We look
forward to forming new friendships in Aotearoa New Zealand.”
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
