CULTURAL DIPLOMACY THROUGH MUSIC: EVALUATING THE ROLE OF EMBASSIES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN INTERCULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMMING

Abstract

This study examines the role of embassies and educational institutions in advancing cultural diplomacy through music, focusing on the Béla Bartók Memorial Concert held in Ghana. By analysing the collaborative efforts of the Embassy of Hungary, the University of Ghana’s Department of Music, and Healthy-Minds International School, the research highlights how intercultural arts programming fosters mutual understanding, empathy, and shared cultural creation. Employing a qualitative case study approach with interviews, observations, and document analysis, the paper reveals that music serves as a dynamic medium for transcultural dialogue and pedagogical diplomacy. The findings emphasise the importance of relational and participatory diplomacy, where cultural exchange is co-created rather than unidirectional, and demonstrate the educational and diplomatic impact of such partnerships in promoting global citizenship and soft power. The study advocates for sustainable intercultural collaborations as vital infrastructures for peacebuilding and international cooperation.