Our Romanian Distance Learning Programme team, Eleonora Rosca (Supervisor), Monika Manases (Moderator) and Larisa Neculai (Co-ordinator) [pictured left to right] are currently working on their presentation, From Censorship to Self-Expression: Romania’s Evolving Music Therapy Model in the Post-Communist Context.

I hope to bring home ideas, good practices which applied and disseminated, will be useful for the beneficiaries. I hope our presentation will raise interest in collaboration and the world will know more about music therapy’s framework and development in Romania. Maybe these bridges will be meeting points from where we can come together; we can take a look from the same perspective at the water contained by the shores united by the bridges.

Monika Manases

I am truly delighted to be attending the World Congress for Music Therapy 2026. I look forward to sharing insights into the development of music therapy in Romania, including how Music as Therapy International has supported a distance learning programme and witnessed shifts in the participants’ understanding of person-centredness, music, and improvisation. I also look forward to conversations with practitioners from countries with similar socio-political contexts, exploring how they are navigating the growth of the profession.

Eleonora Rosca

Tamar (Tako) Jordania has been leading our Distance Learning Programme in Georgia since its pilot in 2023.   She will be discussing the role of this project within her presentation, Georgia in Focus:  An intercultural approach addressing barriers to music therapy among children with disabilities.

This is a unique opportunity for my country to shine on such an important platform. Georgia has never participated in the World Congress of Music Therapy before. This is even more significant because it’s happening with collaborating Music as Therapy International, which makes this more fabulous!

Music Therapy is slowly gaining ground in our country, which is greatly facilitated by events like this. I expect that the colleges will also understand the difficulties I face along the way.

Tamar (Tako) Jordania

The third presentation we are excited to be taking to the Congress is the work of Elsa Hariades, our Training and Innovation Co-ordinator, Music Helps: An exploration of collaboration and innovation in digital training.

Attending the 2026 World Congress will be an incredibly exciting opportunity to meet and learn from diverse music therapists representing many of the countries in which we work.  I’m looking forward to sharing Music Helps with new audiences, especially those linked to dementia care in India, the UK and South Africa, learning more about how we can raise its profile, extend reach and build on its impact in these very different contexts.

Elsa Hariades

As well as offering an invaluable forum for us to champion the work of our Partners in different countries and share our learning with a wide audience of international music therapists, the World Congress is a chance for us to connect with new (and familiar) people who have the expertise to help us extend our activities to new communities. 

Do please get in touch if you will be attending and if you are interested to meet in person to explore opportunities together!