On 16 December, during the 9th Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in Paris the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, launched of the Convention’s Global Monitoring Report: ‘Re-shaping cultural policies: a decade promoting the diversity of cultural expressions for development’.
The session also included a number of debates including the Secretariat’s activities during 2015 as well as the workplan for the Committee during 2016 and 2017; the International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD), with a review of its implementation and fundraising strategy, and approval of new projects; implementation and impact of Articles 16 (Preferential Treatment for Developing Countries) and 21 (International Consultation and Coordination) along with the data base for sharing best practices; the engagement of civil society in the implementation of the Convention; and a preliminary framework for draft Operational Guidelines on Digital Issues.
Strengthening the diversity of cultural expressions is an issue in which IFACCA’s members naturally have a keen interest. It is particularly pressing for our members from countries that have ratified the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, as they explore how best to implement the requirements of the convention and realise the principles of the convention in their policies and programs.
IFACCA is interested in sharing information on activities undertaken by its members in relation to the Convention, and in promoting awareness of the Convention and its impact and value as a tool for all arts support agencies.
Many of IFACCA’s activities impact on the cultural diversity agenda. For example, the ACORNS newsletter carries news of developments in the 2005 convention as well as cultural diversity in general. These news items, publications and events are archived on our website: see www.ifacca.org/topic/convention-cultural-diversity/ and www.ifacca.org/topic/intercultural-dialogue-cultural-diversity.
Other current and recent activities include:
UNESCO Expert Facility on the 2005 Convention on Cultural Diversity (2015)
IFACCA's Executive Director, Sarah Gardner, and African Coordinator, Ayeta Anne Wangusa, participated as ‘international experts’ in the first meeting of the Expert Facility for the Implementation of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions held in Casablanca, Morocco, on 18 - 19 May 2015. http://en.unesco.org/creativity/node/8681
Diversity of Cultural Expressions in Asia: Challenges and Perspectives on the Implementation of the 2005 Convention
In March 2014 IFACCA co-hosted, with UNESCO Bangkok, a meeting on Diversity of Cultural Expressions in Asia, focussing on the 2005 Convention. Participants included the 2005 Convention focal points for the region. IFACCA prepared a research paper for the meeting, which was published in May 2014: Analytical Report: Cultural Policies and the 2005 UNESCO Convention in Asia and is available here: www.ifacca.org/topic/convention-cultural-diversity/ .
UNESCO International Congress ‘Culture: Key to Sustainable Development’ Hangzhou
IFACCA’s Executive Director, Sarah Gardner, participated in this congress in May 2013. The Congress examined the multifaceted role of culture in achieving sustainable development goals and aimed to influence the inclusion of culture in the post-2015 global development framework. Together with the representatives of three other key networks participating in the Congress, IFACCA advocated for the inclusion in the Declaration of a recommendation that there be a specific goal for culture in the future UN development agenda.
Briefing note on the UNESCO 2005 Convention
In June 2010, IFACCA published the Briefing Note for National Arts Funding Agencies: UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in English, French and Spanish. Prepared by the ERICarts Institute in Bonn, the Briefing Note aimed to assist IFACCA members and all other such agencies to gain a better understanding of the objectives, terminology and implementation of the Convention and the current issues around it. We very much welcomed the endorsement received for the Briefing Note from UNESCO’s Division of Cultural Expressions and Creative Industries.
IFACCA has observer status with the Convention as an NGO and, as such, was represented at the Convention’s Conference of Parties in June 2009 and June 2011 and the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Committee in December 2010.