The Culture Secretariat of Argentina, in charge of the temporary Secretariat of MERCUSOR Culture, and Chile’s National Council of Culture and Arts, kindly invited IFACCA to participate in MERCOSUR Culture’s VI Intermediate Meeting to present the organisation and the details and structure of its work plan: mission, vision, objectives, composition, financial sources, membership conditions, and specific projects like ConnectCP Iberoamericano, future mini-summits, recently published D’Art reports, the ACORNS bulletin, the 4th World Summit on Arts and Culture (Johannesburg, 2009) and to give an update of profiles of Latin American countries in IFACCA’s Directory in preparation for national independence bicentenary celebrations.
At this meeting, which has technical-political scope, and which will mainly be attended by directors of International Cooperation Offices of cultural agencies of MERCOSUR’s member states, joint efforts will be made to build a common agenda reflecting regional priorities in the design of public cultural policies, with the purpose of promoting multicultural dialogue, diversity and knowledge of today’s different world visions. They will work on the following subjects, among others: revision of MERCOSUR Cultural fora and technical meetings for 2008; MERCOSUR’s cultural seal for the circulation and valuing of regional culture; UNESCO´s acknowledgement of excellence for MERCOSUR crafts; MERCOSUR’s Declaration for cultural integration; development of UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and elaboration of an action plan for the celebration of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (May 21), and the organization of joint activities to promote and formalise the celebrations of national independence bicentenaries.
Among the international guests are the UNESCO Montevideo Cluster, represented by the expert Silvia Vetrale; Manet Nett, President of the Chilean Coalition for Cultural Diversity. Other external guests that will present projects related to the work areas of MERCOSUR are Edna Fritis Ubilla, who supports the Central Western Integration Area of South America (Zicosur) and Barbara Negrón, advisor for culture and special projects of the Chilean Commission for the Bicentenary.
The meeting will take place at the National Council of Culture and Arts of Chile, at Plaza Sotomayor 233 at Valparaíso, from May 12 to 13 2008.