Like the previous two editions of our annual conference, the 2026 General Assembly will be held in two parts. We will begin with a 2-day international forum titled “Inspiring the Future”, focussing on topics that concern every one of us: the importance of creative programming; the strategic pursuit of new audiences, and the development of new performance formats. Guests like the iconic Hyung-ki Joo (Igudesman & Joo), Lithuanian pianist Mūza Rubackytė, Deborah Borda (former CEO of New York and LA Philharmonic), Louise Herron (CEO of Sydney Opera House) and many others will contribute to a vibrant and dynamic conversation about the future of the arts. Organised by the WFIMC and the Center for International Cultural Projects in Vilnius, this forum will be open to WFIMC delegates but also (against a fee) to young artists, professionals, and competition laureates. Thanks to our partnership with Arts Council Korea (ARKO), the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre and other organisations, scholarships covering travel and accommodation will be available to a significant number of these participants. Following the forum, we will hold our General Assembly, focussing on a number of competition-related topics and internal issues. Apart from the meetings and performances in Vilnius, we will visit two historical places: the famous lakeside castle of Trakai, followed by a boat ride, concert and dinner at the beautiful Uzutrakio Manor House; and the picturesque old town of Kaunas, birthplace of M.K. Čiurlionis and European capital of culture in 2022.
VILNIUS
The history of Vilnius is a dramatic story of rise, ruin, and resilience, etched into the very stone of its streets. The city’s official birth is marked by a grand gesture: in 1323, the powerful Grand Duke Gediminas sent letters inviting craftsmen and merchants to his new capital, nestled at the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris rivers. This act of foresight launched Vilnius as the political and cultural heart of the vast Grand Duchy of Lithuania, a multi-ethnic and multi- confessional state that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Its golden age bloomed in the 16th to 18th centuries, leaving behind the breathtaking Baroque masterpiece that is its Old Town. However, the Partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the late 18th century plunged Vilnius into over two centuries of foreign
70TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN VILNIUS
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