From Cartagena de Indias to Guam, IFACCA participates in regional meetings

IFACCA - International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies,
16 June 2016, International

From one side of the Pacific Ocean to the other, the role of peace, wellbeing and sustainable development have been a focus of discussions at recent meetings attended by the IFACCA Secretariat.

From 19–20 May, Deputy Director Magdalena Moreno attended the eighteenth Ibero-American Conference of Ministers of Culture in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The conference – entitled Youth, entrepreneurship and education – was co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture of Colombia, the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI) and the General Secretariat of the Ibero-American Space (SEGIB).  Ministers and high authorities representing 22 countries were welcomed by the President of Colombia, followed by Paulo Speller (OEI), Rebeca Grynspan (SEGIB) and Minister Mariana Garcés (Colombia) at Casa del Marqués de Valdehoyos. 

The declaration signed by all the ministerial representatives considered that:

  • Culture is an axis in the process of peace making in Colombia and demonstrates that it is an efficient tool for wellbeing, integral development and prosperity.
  • The conference itself makes an important contribution to the debate through the exchange of good practices. 
  • The experiences presented at the conference demonstrate the relevance and pertinence of cultural policies to stimulate new forms of civil society participation in cultures, and that this essential to our sustainable democratic institutions.
     

The full declaration in Spanish and Portuguese is available here

From 30 May to 1 June 2016, Ms Moreno attended the first Culture, Arts and Sustainable Development Forum was held in Adelup, Guam, held in the context of the twelfth Festival of the Pacific Arts, as resolved at the last meeting of the Council of the Pacific Arts (Solomon Islands). Co-hosted by the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency (CAHA), the forum brought together representatives from government and non-government institutions and people from across the Pacific arts community.  Keynote speaker Lourdes Pangelin (GUAM) delivered a poignant message: that one of the failures of development is that traditional cultures and languages have been suffocated, and that it is challenge for us all to live in harmony and peace in a modern way of life.  She added that the sustainability in the Pacific Islands will be reliant on culture for the integrity of human life.

On behalf of IFACCA, Ms Moreno presented on the role of cultural policy, emphasising that culture must be at the heart of all international exchanges; and that culture needs to be considered in the context of foreign policy, as it is integral to identity.  Ms Moreno presented a range of examples on how international cultural exchange are positive for countries and for the sector, outlining existing international mechanisms that support these exchanges, and the strong partnerships that are key to their success.

Find further information on the Forum and the Festival here