The UNESCO Week of Sound is a series of international events that was first established in France in 2004, and currently takes place annually in a growing number of cities around the world.
The mission of the Week of Sound is to raise awareness about the importance of sound in today’s world, focusing on the five key areas highlighted in a discussion held at UNESCO’s 39th session in 2017 (read the full document here):
- the sounding environment
- health, especially hearing health
- sound recording, reproduction,and conservation technology,
- the relation between image and sound
- and musical and sound expression.
The UNESCO Week of Sound in Edinburgh was established in 2023 by Dr Martin Parker and Dr Eleni-Ira Panourgia. It is the first UNESCO Week of Sound in Scotland and in United Kingdom, and is hosted by Edinburgh College of Art at the University of Edinburgh.
As of 2026, it is the only locally-hosted edition of Week of Sound in the UK.
UNESCO Week of Sound in Edinburgh
Co-Directors of the 2026 Week of Sound in Edinburgh:
Dr Mike Newton
Dr M. J. Grant
Claire Hills
Founding directors:
Dr Martin Parker
Dr Eleni-Ira Panourgia
Supported by a generous bequest from Barry Wright, and by the Reid School of Music at the University of Edinburgh.