The “International Music Week” (IMW) is based on the belief that music is a universal language that can be used as an element of integration, promoting young people from different backgrounds to come together to counter the raise of nationalism and disintegration in Europe. The IMW gave youth, who are amateur musicians, the possibility to play in a symphonic orchestra, an opportunity that is often reserved for music students or professional musicians, while at the same time allowing them to benefit from the different social, cultural and educational backgrounds of the participants. Through combined music and social learning objectives the young participants could develop a more comprehensive understanding of Europe and the specificities of its member countries. Thereby fostering an awareness of the deeper interaction between European cultures and the importance that plurality is the strength of identity in the European project. In the same way they could develop a shared European identity through common values. The objective of the IMW was to promote the value of encounters, cultural and linguistic discovery as well as human and musical exchanges between the young participants and the public.