An Honorary Membership is the highest honour that the Council can give to one of its members. It is bestowed on individuals to recognise their outstanding contributions to the work of the Council, often through a combination of activities such as being an Officer or Ordinary Member of the Executive Board, serving as Secretary General, editing Council publications, chairing Study Groups, convening a Colloquium or World Conference, etc.

The Executive Board recommends individuals for honorary membership to the General Assembly for endorsement. Further information can be found in the Memorandum on Honorary Memberships. 

	Name	Country	Honorary member since  ▾
	Castelo-Branco, Salwa El-Shawan	Portugal	2023
	Hemetek, Ursula	Austria	2023
	Trimillos, Ricardo D.	USA	2023
	Wild, Stephen	Australia	2019
	Kaeppler, Adrienne L†	USA	2015
	Bröcker, Marianne†	Germany	2013
	Nketia, J. H. Kwabena†	Ghana	2013
	Smith, Barbara Barnard†	USA	2013
	Trần Văn Khê†	Vietnam	2013
	van Zanten, Wim	The Netherlands	2013
	Christensen, Dieter†	Germany/USA	2007
	Malm, Krister	Sweden	2007
	Seeger, Anthony	USA	2007
	Stockmann, Erich†	Germany	1997
	Moyle, Alice†	Australia	1995
	Marcel-Dubois, Claudie†	France	1987

† Member is now deceased