The VI COMBART International Conference is a collaboration between different entities, including the Interdisciplinary Center for Social Sciences of the New University of Lisbon (CICS.NOVA, NOVA FCSH and CICS.NOVA. IPLeiria); the Institute of Sociology of the University of Porto (IS-UP); the Institute of Art History (IHA/ IN2PAST) and the Institute of Communication (ICNOVA) of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the New University of Lisbon; the Center for Transdisciplinary Research <Culture, Space and Memory” (CITCEM); and LabEA Laboratory for Research in Art Education/FBAUP. The Luso-Brazilian Network Todas as Artes (TAA) and the Luso-Brazilian Research Network in Arts and Urban Interventions (RAIU) are also partners in this event. The aim is to bring together a diverse range of knowledge, disciplines and arts, opening up proposals to researchers from areas such as sociology, anthropology, history, art history, cultural and creative industries, participatory artistic practices and artistic research, cultural economics, cultural and social geography, urban planning, cultural studies, communication sciences and related disciplines, such as illustration, music, cinema, visual arts, performance and performing arts, as well as intersections with new technologies.

The theme of the 13th Congress, "Challenging Democracies: Risks and Uncertainties", is especially relevant in the contemporary socio-political context. Democracies around the world are facing unprecedented challenges, from the rise of populism and conservative movements and the increase in social inequalities and violence, to cyber threats and the climate crisis. The congress aims to explore these and other relevant issues through a sociological lens, bringing together researchers, academics and practitioners to discuss and debate the threats and opportunities facing contemporary democracies.

The symposium is co-convened with the participation of the Global Africa Comparative and International Education Society (Global Africa -CIES), the Comparative Education Section of the Portuguese Society of Educational Sciences (SEC-SPCE), the Mondial Association for Peace by Comparative Education (MAPE) and the VIII International Conference of Indian Ocean Comparative Education Society (IOCES).