A detailed study of the situation of musical diversity in the world, The Protection and Promotion of Musical Diversity, has been published online by the International Music Council (IMC). It can be accessed in two files on the IMC home page at www.unesco.org/imc.

The study addresses issues including:

• The relationship between the situation of musical diversity and the situation of human rights
• Musical diversity and sustainable development, covering aspects of the use of music in broader development, the use of music to alleviate poverty, and the development of a music industry
• Musical diversity and its potential contribution to peace
• Government standards and regulations that impact positively or negatively on musical diversity
• Musical diversity and the imposition of a monoculture, including commentary on the potential use and misuse of the new UNESCO Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
• Musical diversity and issues around personal and community identity
• Challenges and responses to musical diversity: an extensive exploration of various circumstances in which musical diversity is endangered and actions that might be taken in its support.

This study was instigated by Katérina Stenou of UNESCO and undertaken by the International Music Council. It addresses an issue of great concern to many in the music world and provides a most fortunate opportunity to explore the many challenges and opportunities for musical diversity.

The Principal Investigator for the study was Dr. Richard Letts, who is the President of the IMC and the Executive Director of the Music Council of Australia. To assist in achieving a global perspective on a global issue, the IMC engaged consultants from representative regions on the five continents. Most of the consultants are associated with the IMC and brought a strong knowledge of the situation in the music sectors of more than 50 countries in the Arab world, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The study is organised around the themes indicated above. A set of appendices delivers the reports from each of the consultants or consultant groups, so that the reader can follow the situation of all the themes in each geographical area.