On Wednesday 23 April the Commonwealth Foundation released the report of a high-level seminar on the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, held in March 2008.

The seminar brought together experts from Commonwealth and Francophone governments and civil society to discuss the ratification and implementation of the Convention. Three particular areas of interest had been identified prior to the seminar, and these acted as a framework for the discussions that followed. First, how can Commonwealth countries be encouraged to engage with the issues raised by the Convention? Second, how can civil society be meaningfully involved in the promotion and implementation of the Convention? Third, how can mechanisms and measures be developed which enable the effective implementation of the Convention?

The report, entitled Sharing Strengths: Commonwealth and Francophone engagement with the UNESCO 2005 Convention, sets out eight key findings and recommendations.

The Sharing Strengths report will also inform the Commonwealth Foundation's 'Putting Culture First', a research project that will explore links in the Commonwealth between culture and development.

http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/news/news/detail.cfm?id=416