Pandor, MP, at Francophone Africa Ambassadors dinner during the Unesco Cultural
Convention, Paris
17 October 2007
Your Excellencies and distinguished guests
Together with the rest of the developing world, South Africa applauded the
coming into force of the Unesco Convention on the Protection and Promotion of
the Diversity of Cultural Expressions on 20 March 2007.
Professor Kader Asmal - who chaired the three intergovernmental committee
meetings of experts that lead to the adoption of the draft convention - called
the draft convention a 'cultural peace treaty.'
In his view - and it is mine as well - the convention will result in a
growth of dignity and self-confidence for both individuals and communities, a
genuine co-operation between states, and open new horizons for millions of
people. We hope that the forthcoming Intergovernmental Committee meeting in
Canada will shape these new and bright horizons.
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco)
convention is a historic achievement. It recognises, for the first time, the
distinctive nature of cultural goods and services. It affirms, for the first
time, a government's right to apply policies to ensure their citizens have
access to locally created culture. That is its most important provision. Not
global culture, but culture created by local communities for themselves.
We also hope that all countries will ratify the convention 'with all speed.'
The larger the number of parties to the convention, the more easily the
convention will settle into international law. One of the strongest outcomes of
the convention is its promotion of culture as central to sustainable
development. The approval of this important international convention, which
seeks to protect and promote cultural diversity, is a milestone in the
long-running fight to preserve the world's cultural richness.
Unesco notes that five in ten of the world's languages are in danger of
extinction and that nine in ten are not on the Internet. In addition, five
countries monopolise the world cultural industries. In the field of cinema, for
instance, 88 countries have never had their own film productions. Besides
promoting diversity in those areas, the convention seeks to reaffirm the links
between culture and development and to create a platform for international
co-operation.
It does this by creating an International Fund for Cultural Diversity. This
is an important reason for African countries to ratify the convention. The fund
is intended to support initiatives by developing countries to nurture the
emergence of domestic book, film, television, live performance, visual arts and
new media sectors.
As you are aware, the Intergovernmental Committee meeting on the convention
in Canada in December 2007 will determine the operational guidelines of the
fund. It is imperative that international co-operation between state parties be
strengthened and maximised at all levels. The International Fund for Cultural
Diversity will address issues of disparity within the cultural environment
globally. The fund should be responsive and be utilised to enhance South-South,
North-South, as well as regional cooperation.
It should focus on:
* funding projects that contribute to long term capacity building and
institutional infrastructure for cultural policies
* projects and programmes that promote and protect the diversity of cultural
expressions, especially threatened and vulnerable cultural expressions.
The fund should be accessible to all its intended beneficiaries In addition,
its provisions should also call for periodic reports on actual results and
achievements. The process for administering the International Fund for Cultural
Diversity should remain simple, effective, and low-cost to ensure that maximum
resources are directed to the projects submitted.
The Intergovernmental Committee should also have a plan of action consistent
with tangible deliverables to be achieved within the cycle of their tenure.
When the Intergovernmental Committee reports back to the Conference of Parties,
it must do so by clearly indicating the progress it has made in its work, and
also indicate where there have been challenges and obstacles to its work. The
success of the Intergovernmental Committee is dependent on total commitment,
dedication, and the hard work of the members. We are confident that the elected
members will rise to the occasion.
In concluding, I would again to encourage African to ratify the Unesco
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural
Expressions.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
17 October 2007
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs (http://www.dfa.gov.za)
