On Thursday, 10 October 2024, at the Sala América in the National Library, cultural sector workers, academics, and creators from various parts of the country gathered to reflect on the role of civil society in implementing UNESCO’s 2005 Convention, which has now been ratified by Chile and more than 153 countries, plus the European Union.
“In the context of the 20th anniversary of the Convention on Diversity of Cultural Expressions, UNESCO reaffirms its commitment to strengthening and supporting organisations as drivers of artistic development in Chile. Since its creation, this convention has been an essential guide for the cultural policies of many countries, promoting the integration of culture into sustainable development. In these two decades, societies have changed, and today, more than ever, there is a need for greater civil society participation and broader inclusion of local territories. Therefore, collaboration between cultural institutions and citizens will be key to facing future challenges,” said Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.
“As the Ministry of Cultures, we value this virtuous alliance with UNESCO and call for continued deep and committed dialogue and reflection on the contribution of cultural policies to the development of Chile and our countries. And on this occasion, particularly on the role of individuals as active agents, influencing public policy generation and drivers of cultural diversity,” said Carolina Arredondo, Minister of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage of Chile.
This meeting allowed for the identification of opportunities and gaps in policies related to cultural diversity. Among the positive aspects mentioned were experiences such as the work of Fundación IDAVA for the cultural rights of people with disabilities and the incorporation of Concepción as a UNESCO Creative City of Music, a proposal that originated from its own residents. Likewise, the increasing number of Chilean projects awarded funding from UNESCO’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity and the UNESCO-Aschberg Programme for Artists and Cultural Professionals, implemented alongside the Ministry of Cultures, was highlighted, contributing to the creation of Chile’s Decent Work Cultural Agenda.
Researchers Lázaro Rodríguez, Fabiola Leiva, and Mauricio Delfín analysed the challenges of managing culture from within communities and regions, as well as the need for the cultural sector to interact with other sectors of society. The experts emphasised that the challenge for the Convention moving forward is to seek systemic and structural change, beyond specific actions. Additionally, they stressed the importance of understanding the purpose of these instruments and how these methodologies can be used for institutional evolution within organisations.
Among the numerous ideas presented, Lázaro Rodríguez emphasised that the presentation of the fourth QPR demonstrates the Chilean state’s commitment to programmatic alignment with the terms established by the 2005 Convention, with priority areas such as strengthening cultural governance systems, creating conditions for internationalisation both externally and internally, affirming human rights and fundamental freedoms, and contributing to sustainable development through culture.
Fabiola Leiva also shared a series of profound reflections stemming from the fourth QPR and, from a regional perspective, stated that this is a report that will become a fundamental tool for cultural managers and researchers in our country. However, she emphasised that the Convention is not only intended for this sector, but that these instruments are designed to operate within society as a whole, which is why they have objectives, areas of action, and indicators. Some of the conclusions she pointed to included the need to produce and manage knowledge, understand effects and impacts, and recognise and expand capacities.
Mauricio Delfín spoke about the principles of open government from the perspective of citizen participation in culture and his experience in establishing a bridge with the government of Peru. He noted that, to open up governance, participation is not the only important factor; transparency and accountability must also be considered. He explained that people participate more if they have greater trust in the institution, and they trust more if the institution is more transparent. Furthermore, institutions become more transparent the better their accountability is. He reiterated that there can be no cultural democracy without citizen participation, and that the 2005 Convention is a tool that civil society must utilise.
On this occasion, a series of training talks was also launched for civil society agents —including regional cultural, arts, and heritage councillors, as well as representatives from the National Network of Creative Territories— linked to the mandate and functioning of UNESCO’s 2005 Convention, delving deeper into the themes discussed in the seminar.
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Publish date : 2024-10-10 13:00:00
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