In recent decades, multicultural environments have become a new reality, simultaneously highlighting emerging educational needs. Since the late 20th century, intercultural education has served as a key support mechanism, fostering interaction and understanding in a multicultural society. Music education is a field that lends itself to the development and cultivation of intercultural educational objectives. However, adapting educators to these new demands proves to be particularly challenging in practice (Campbell, 2008). Greece has historically been a crossroads of cultures, receiving migratory flows both from neighboring countries (e.g., Albania) and from war zones. This study explores the beliefs of primary school music educators in Greece regarding intercultural music education, with a particular emphasis on the challenges and requirements involved in creating culturally inclusive classroom environments. Using qualitative research methods, nine music educators teaching in primary schools in Athens participated in interviews to examine their views, experiences, and perceptions regarding the implementation of intercultural music practices in primary education. The findings reveal that, while educators demonstrated strong willingness and enthusiasm to support intercultural music education, they face significant obstacles, such as a lack of appropriate training and material resources. This gap limits their ability to design and implement effective, culturally inclusive music lessons that reflect the diverse identities of their students. The research findings highlight key aspects of the role of music educators in promoting interculturality, both in Greece and internationally, a field in which academic research remains limited (Theodoridis, 2019). At the same time, they underscore the need for targeted in-service training programs, the development of appropriate educational materials for different educational levels, and institutional support to empower music educators in creating inclusive learning environments (Kelly-McHale, 2013). This study makes a significant contribution to understanding intercultural music education in Greece, a field that remains largely underexplored at the academic level. The lack of sufficient research makes it essential to document the experiences and challenges faced by music educators in order to develop strategies that facilitate the implementation of intercultural practices. Furthermore, the findings of this study enhance the dialogue on integrating cultural diversity into music education and provide valuable insights for the design of educational policies that support teachers in fostering a more inclusive and effective learning environment.

• Inclusion, marginalization, bullying and exclusion
• Music education for social justice and equality
• Lifelong learning for music educators
• Music and communities

Christina Katsamatsa is a music educator, conductor, and singer with a strong background in music performance and pedagogy. She graduated from the Department of Music Science and Art at the University of Macedonia and specialized in choral conducting at the University of Minho in Portugal. Since 2012, she has been working as a music teacher in public schools in Greece, focusing on inclusive and culturally diverse education. As a soloist, she has performed on major stages across Greece, with notable roles in the operas Dido and Aeneas and La Belle Hélène. With a strong interest in vocal training and intercultural music education, she continues to contribute to the field through both performance and teaching.

Yiannis Miralis is Associate Professor of Music Education at European University Cyprus. His areas of interest are world music pedagogy, instrumental music education, community music ensembles. Miralis has a rich teaching experience in schools and universities in Cyprus and the USA. He has presented workshops and papers in various conferences in the areas of music education, ethnomusicology and saxophone and his articles appear in music journals in Greece and the USA. Miralis is a board member of ECMTA and former co-chair of the IVMTC of ISME. He has extensive performing experience as a chamber saxophonist.