On 26 November, the Nation’s Secretary for Culture, José Nun, released the book Nosotros y los otros. El comercio exterior de bienes culturales en América del Sur (We and the Others: Foreign Commerce of Cultural Goods in South America). The publication brings together information provided by national cultural institutions from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. It was also launched on the on-line search engine on cultural foreign commerce.
This publication is an interactive tool of great value for those interested in designing cultural policies. For the first time, there is a registry of South America’s cultural foreign commerce, essential at the national and regional level. “The results of this research allow us to prove that there is still a great road to travel. For example, Argentina used to be the first exporter of books and now that place is occupied by Colombia. We should do our best to change this situation”, stated Nun.
Carolina Biquard, National Director of Action and Cultural Industries, highlighted the importance and value of cultural information to elaborate a strategic plan. Natalia Calcagno, Coordinator of the Cultural Industries Laboratory explained: “This is an important step to create a real regional integration within a strategic bloc like Mercosur Cultural. This book gives us collective information useful for getting to know us as a region”.
The on-line search engine on cultural foreign commerce, integrated to the Website of Argentina’s Cultural Information System, will provide information about the origin and destiny of cultural exports and imports, and will aid the establishment of relationships between countries based on the product of their interest. This tool is developed thanks to a database, that covers the period 1996-2007, provided by the Accounts National System updated by the National Institute for Statistics and Census (INDEC), that.
For further information or images, please contact the Communications and Press Office:
Director: Lic. Diego Marquis | Coordinator: Lic. Ariana Ponzo
Tel.: +54+11 4129-2527 / 2528/2496/2497
[email protected] | www.cultura.gov.ar