Coalition Currents

UNESCO Ratification Momentum Builds:
Mexico, Romania, Monaco, Bolivia and Djibouti Join Canada, Mauritius—File Ratifications With UNESCO Togo, Peru, Senegal, France, Finland, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Croatia Among Those Pending

The campaign to implement the UNESCO convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions is building growing momentum: seven countries have formally deposited their instrument of ratification with UNESCO, and a further nine have completed their internal ratification processes.

Countries that have concluded their internal ratification processes and are expected to file their instruments with UNESCO in short order include Togo, Peru, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cambodia and Croatia .

As well, Finland and France have become the first European Union member states to ratify at the national government level, just weeks after the Ministers of Culture of the European Union approved the convention on behalf of the EU on May 18. However, it is expected that Finland and France will wait until a critical mass of the EU’s 25 member states have ratified before depositing as a group with UNESCO. The determination of what constitutes a ‘critical mass’ will doubtless be a political one, and one would expect both the number of states ratifying, and the size of these countries, will figure in this calculation.

A minimum of 30 ratifications is required for the convention to enter into effect, and Article 29 of the convention specifies that this will happen three months after deposit of the 30th instrument of ratification or accession at UNESCO. Given the widely-shared objective of having the convention
enter into effect through its first Conference of Parties at the time of the 34th General Conference in October 2007, this makes June 30 the de facto target for meeting the 30 ratifications threshold. In other words, 10 months remain to reach, and ideally surpass, this target.

When counting towards the 30 target, the distinction between ratification of the convention and deposition of the relevant instruments with UNESCO is crucial: a member state is only deemed to be a States Party to the Convention when it has filed its documentation with UNESCO’s Paris headquarters.

Among the early ratifiers, some countries—Canada is one example—have been able to ratify quickly because their Westminster Parliamentary model of government enabled this process to be completed through a simple decision at the cabinet level.

A much more common ratification process, however, entails legislation having to pass through the national legislature (both upper and lower houses, if these exist), often with referral to committee for study and recommendations. In some cases, the package is deemed approved when both legislative houses have approved it; generally, however, the final step required is signature and promulgation of the bill by the head of government.

Even with strong political will to see ratification through, there are definite limits to how much these processes can be accelerated. Meaning it is better to get ratification in motion as soon as possible.

Still, with seven ratifications deposited, a further nine pending—and ratification processes underway in several other countries (see end of article)—there are very real chances of reaching the 30-ratification threshold by the end of next June.

But the key to reaching this target will be continuing, intense work at the individual country level by coalitions and leading cultural organizations to ensure their governments assign priority to moving their ratification bills quickly through the national legislature—straight through to the deposition of ratification instruments with UNESCO. Otherwise, the potential created by the early ratification momentum could be lost.

There is a clear incentive for countries to ratify early: those that do will be among the participants at the first Conference of Parties, which will elect the initial 18-member Intergovernmental Committee that will be charged with developing the operational mechanisms of the convention. The Intergovernmental Committee members therefore stand to have a major role in setting the direction of the new convention.

A country-by-country look at countries that have ratified follows, starting with Mexico, Romania, Monaco, Bolivia and Djibouti which have deposited their ratification instruments with UNESCO:

Mexico
After signature by the President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, Mexico’s ratification legislation was Gazetted on June 2, and its ratification process was completed when its instruments were filed with UNESCO on July 5.

Romania
Romania completed its process on July 20 by filing its documents of ‘adhesion’ with UNESCO. Just days later, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Romania’s becoming a member of UNESCO, Ambassador Andrei Magheru met with Director General Koïchiro Matsuura, and presented him with the original copies of his country’s documents of acceptance.

“I receive this ratification with great satisfaction—the first by a European state,” said Matsuura.

Monaco
UNESCO’s website listing of states parties to the convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions lists July 31 as the date when Monaco deposited its ratification with UNESCO.

Bolivia
Bolivia deposited its ratification with UNESCO on August 4. The Senate vote to ratify the convention took place on May 4, and then referred the ratification legislation to the National Congress for its approval.

Djibouti
Djibouti’s ratification was deposited with UNESCO on August 9, just weeks after the country’s National Assembly voted to ratify the convention on June 21. The Council of Ministers had voted on May 16 to put the ratification project forward to the legislature.

Togo
Kodjo Noussouglo, President of Togo’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity, reports that on August 2, Togo’s National Assembly convened in an extraordinary session to approve legislation authorizing Togo’s ratification of the UNESCO convention. The only step now remaining is for Togo to deposit its ratification with UNESCO.

In his report, Noussouglo recalls that the timing of Togo’s ratification was the subject of a June 18 meeting involving the President of the National Assembly, the Togolese Coalition and Robert Pilon of the Co-Secretariat of the International Liaison Committee of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity. “The President of the National Assembly promised the ILC that as soon as the Council of Ministers had approved the draft bill, the Assembly would interrupt its vacation in order to ratify,” Noussouglo noted.

Writing on August 2, the Togolese Coalition President continued: “This evening, Rasmané Ouedraogo, Secretary General of the African Network of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity, and I called the President of the National Assembly and the Minister of Culture to congratulate them,” adding that similar expressions of thanks were being conveyed to the Head of State and Government, and a news release would be issued shortly.

Peru
As this issue of Coalition Currents was going into production, we received news from Elvira de La Puente of Peru’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity that on July 25, in one of his final acts as President, Alejandro Toledo had signed and promulgated the ratification legislation approved during the most recent session of Congress. The ratification bill was officially gazetted on July 26. Peru’s instruments of ratification remain to be deposited with UNESCO.

Senegal
Senegal’s National Assembly voted to ratify the convention on July 21.

Senegal’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity, saluted the Senegalese government for its quick action to ratify.

“We fought together along with the public authorities for the adoption of the convention October 20 in Paris. And so we congratulate the National Assembly, which has just authorized our Head of State to ratify the text,” said the Coalition’s Vice-President, Cheikh Ngaïdo Bâ.

France
On July 5, President Jacques Chirac completed France’s fast track ratification process by signing into law its ratification legislation.

Two weeks earlier, on the occasion of the June 27 vote by the Senate to ratify the convention, France’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity had hailed the Government’s quick action to ratify the convention, saying the vote “confirmed France’s commitment to defend cultural diversity and to uphold pluralism of creation and culture.”

The Coalition also “expressed the hope that a significant number of states, in particular European states, will quickly ratify in their turn this international convention in order to invest it with its full effectiveness within the international legal system.”

Finland
On June 29, Finland became the first European Union member state to ratify the convention President Tarja Halonen, signed the Act on the implementation of the legislative provisions of the UNESCO Convention. On the same day, Finland’s Prime Minister, Matti Vanhanen, signed the Instrument of Acceptance required for Finland to formally become Party to the Convention.

Mali
Mali’s National Assembly voted to ratify on June 29, following a favourable recommendation by the Council of Ministers on April 16.

Croatia
The Republic of Croatia ratified the convention on May 12. Deposit of its instruments of ratification with UNESCO is pending.

Cambodia
Cambodia’s ratification is referenced in a news release issued by the International Organization of La Francophonie on the occasion of the 60th Session of its Permanent Council, which included a roundtable discussion of the ratification processes underway in Francophonie member states. Efforts are underway to obtain official documentation from the Government of Cambodia.

Burkina Faso
As reported in the May issue of Coalition Currents, Burkina Faso’s National Assembly voted to approve ratification legislation on May 2. The deposit of Burkina Faso’s ratification instruments with UNESCO is pending.

In Brazil, the Chamber of Deputies’ Education and Culture Committee voted in favour of ratification on June 20. But while the bill has been accorded urgent status, it must still pass through two other committees—Finance and Justice and Citizenship—and then must be voted on by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate before finally being signed by President Lula. The big question is whether all these hurdles can be overcome before the country’s energies shift to the campaign for the October presidential elections.

In Spain, the Council of Ministers voted in favour of ratification on April 28. Accorded urgent status, the ratification bill has now been referred to Congress’s Foreign Affairs Committee, which has until September 5 to render a decision. It is hoped that Spain will complete its ratification by October.

In Madagascar, the UNESCO convention was one of six bills approved by the country’s Senate on July 20. Norway released its ratification bill on June 16. However, as this issue of Coalition Currents went into production, more information was being sought about its timeline for ratification.

Norway released its ratification bill on June 16. However, as this issue of Coalition Currents went into production, more information was being sought about its timeline for ratification.

In Chile, newly-elected President Bachelet committed her government to ratify the UNESCO convention in the text of her speech to the nation on May 21.

France’s Chirac, La Francophonie, Ibero-American States : A Growing Chorus Calling for Ratificationy

With his own government’s ratification of the UNESCO convention completed on July 5, French President Jacques Chirac immediately shifted his energies towards a wide-ranging campaign to promote early ratification and implementation of the Convention.

On July 12, Chirac sent several letters emphasizing the importance of prompt ratification and implementation of the convention—to UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura, to Francophonie Secretary General Abdou Diouf, to Finland’s Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (congratulating his government completing its ratification on June 29), and to José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.

Writing to UNESCO’s Director General, Chirac emphasized France’s desire to work towards the early entry into effect of the convention, which he hailed as “a major advance in the recognition in international law of the equal dignity of cultures and of the legitimacy of measures adopted by states to support their cultural policies”

In his letter to Barroso, the French President congratulated the EC for its work to date in helping to develop a common position in favour of the convention among European Union member states, and stated that he considered it “essential that the European Commission, in the name of the Community, as well as the largest possible number of member states, be able to deposit together their instruments of ratification as quickly as possible with UNESCO.”

Stating that the convention would have legal impacts, the French President said « its entry into effect is therefore necessary to enable states that wish it, particularly the countries of the South, to cite it when concluding their bilateral agreements.”

He added that many non-EU countries were awaiting a decisive engagement in support of the convention by the European states, in light of their strong support for it during the negotiations. “This is the case for the Francophonie countries which will gather in Bucharest on September 28 and 29th.”

Two weeks later, on July 20, Chirac hosted Quebec Premier Jean Charest for a meeting in which the two men undertook to work together in convincing states to ratify the convention as quickly as possible, identifying the upcoming Summit of La Francophonie as the occasion for a special effort in this context.

La Francophonie Continues Its Work in Support of Ratification

Chirac’s letter to Secretary General Abdou Diouf was an acknowledgement of the sustained leadership role the International Organization of La Francophonie has played in support of the convention going as far back as its 1999 Summit in Beirut, when La Francophonie members endorsed the concept of an international instrument on cultural diversity at UNESCO in their final declaration.

The results of the ongoing championing of the convention by La Francophonie, and notably by its Secretary General Abdou Diouf, are reflected in the composition of the countries ratifying the convention early: Burkina Faso, Canada, Cambodia, Croatia, Djibouti, France, Mali, Mauritius, Romania, Senegal and Togo.

Abdou Diouf’s latest public statement exhorting Francophonie member states to ratify came July 1 in Rabat, Morrocco, on the occasion of the 32nd Session of the Assembly of Parliamentarians of Francophonie. Calling La Francophonie “the veritable incarnation of cultural and linguistic diversity”, Diouf urged the Parliamentarians to concentrate their efforts in support of ratification within their own governments to ensure that the greatest possible number of Francophonie countries complete this process by the time of the Bucharest Summit in September.

While the campaign was off to a good start, Diouf cautioned that his experience has taught him that “a great vigilance is needed in this type of process—as long as all of the steps have not been completed, the mobilization must continue, even intensify.”

The Parliamentarians responded to Diouf’s appeal by voting to approve a recommendation urging La Francophonie to continue using all of its avenues to promote ratification while urging each of their governments to ratify the convention on a priority basis.

Ibero-American Culture Ministers Reaffirm Support for UNESCO

Convention Ministers attending the IXth Ibero-American Conference on Culture in Montevideo, Uruguay, July 13 and 14 used their closing declaration as another opportunity to express their support for the UNESCO convention:

“We reiterate our engagement in support of the convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions, express our satisfaction on its adoption at the 33rd General Conference of UNESCO, and we undertake to set in motion its prompt ratification by the Ibero-American countries."

The meeting was attended by representatives of the 23 member states of the Organization of Ibero-American States.

African Union Commission Chair Urges Member States to Ratify Convention

Alpha Oumar Konare, the Chair of the African Union Commission, used his opening address at the Seventh Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Gambia on July 1 and 2 to issue a call for the Union’s member states to ratify the convention.

In urging African Union member states to act to ratify a number of important conventions and agreements concluded within the Union, Konare added: “It is equally important that African countries adhere to and ratify without delay the International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Diversity in Cultural Expressions.”

COPA Parliamentarians Add their Voices to Ratification Campaign

Parliamentarians of the Americas attending the Second General Assembly of the Confederation of Parliamentarians of the Americans (COPA) May 29 to June 3 in Quito, Ecuador, endorsed a declaration in which they committed “ to ensure that our respective parliaments ratify the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, adopted by UNESCO in October 2005, as soon as possible.”

The Parliamentarians supported this engagement by voting to approve a specific recommendation on the convention, in which they:

“REITERATE that cultural diversity is a source of great wealth for our societies and that respect for and value of this diversity contributes to social cohesion and the development of our nations;
NOTE that each people has a right to ensure that no trade liberalization rules jeopardize its ability to promote its own culture and identity;
CALL ON the states of the Americas to ratify, accept, and approve this Convention, or abide by it as soon as possible in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures. ‘

EU, Latin America and Caribbean Summit Yields Joint Ratification Call

Meeting in Vienna May 12th heads of state and government attending the Fourth Summit of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, (EULAC, which brings together 60 countries) concluded their discussions by issuing a declaration strongly supporting timely ratification of the UNESCO convention, and committing to act on the international cooperation objectives set out in the convention:

“We recognise the importance of cultural diversity as a factor of development, growth and stability, as illustrated by the adoption of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in October 2005.

We support its prompt ratification and implementation.

We recognise that cultural cooperation is essential in fostering intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding. In addition, we reaffirm our conviction that cultural activities and industries play a significant role in safeguarding, developing and promoting cultural diversity. We are committed to finding means to enhance both EULAC and intra-LAC cooperation and exchanges of expertise and good practices in this area as well as to enlarging EU-LAC cooperation in UNESCO.”

Canada’s Government Commits to Continue Working to Promote Ratification

Elected on January 23, Prime Minister Harper’s government has already issued clear signals of its intention to engage in the campaign to ensure the UNESCO convention is ratified quickly.

On May 5, Prime Minister Harper travelled to Quebec City to sign with Premier Jean Charest an agreement setting out a formal role for Quebec at UNESCO. The preamble of the agreement recalls that the federal and Quebec governments “worked together actively in promoting the adoption of the Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions by the General Conference of UNESCO” and it commits Ottawa and Quebec to “continue this work in promoting the ratification and implementation of this international instrument.”

On May 31, Minister of Canadian Heritage Beverley Oda, during the House of Commons Question Period, reaffirmed her government’s support for the UNESCO convention, and pledged to use her contacts with representatives of other governments to encourage them to ratify—adding that she had already met with Canada’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity to discuss this campaign and would continue to provide support for the Coalition’s work.

During the same Question Period, Minister of International Trade David Emerson stated categorically that Canada would maintain its long-standing position of refraining from commitments on culture in trade negotiations: “Cultural industries and cultural protection are not a negotiable item for the Government of Canada. We are committed. We continue to live by that commitment and we will continue to do so.”

And on June 6, during the 12th International Economic Conference of the Americas in Montreal, Sylvie Boucher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, delivering a speech on behalf of Minister Oda, affirmed her government’s commitment “to encourage the entry into force of the Convention in time for the next UNESCO General Conference, taking place in the fall of 2007.”

The Minister’s speech emphasized that reaching the minimum threshold of ratifications by 30 member states required for the convention to enter into effect will be just the first step in investing the convention with legal and political weight.

“I want to stress that that is the minimum needed; it is not the ultimate objective. A critical mass of countries will be required in order for the Convention to have real impact.” the Minister’s text stated. For this reason, Canada will work “to ensure a broad mass of ratifications within four years.”

“I want to clearly state this government’s intention to work towards this goal,” the speech continued, adding that Ottawa would continue to work closely with civil society and with provincial and territorial governments to promote the UNESCO convention.

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The Coalitions at Work:
A Round-up Report on Recent Activities of the Coalitions Movement

Coalitions Meet with Director General Matsuura in Montreal

Pierre Curzi, Co-Chair of the Canadian Coalition for Cultural Diversity, represented the International Liaison Committee of CCDs at a meeting with UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura on June 7 to discuss the current state of play in the campaign to ratify and implement the UNESCO convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions.

The approximately half-hour meeting took place following a ceremony held at the University of Quebec at Montreal to present the UNESCO Director General with an honorary doctorate. Yvon Charbonneau, Canada’s Ambassador to UNESCO, was also present for the meeting.

On behalf of the Coalitions, Curzi, joined by CCD Canada’s Director of External Relations Jim McKee, stressed the high priority that cultural organizations around the world attach to seeing the convention ratified and implemented as quickly as possible, and expressed the coalitions’ commitment to working to promote quick ratification by countries around the world.

Matsuura was in Montreal to be a keynote speaker on June 6 for the 12th International Economic Forum of the Americas. In his speech, the Director General stated that the recently adopted convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions represented the completion of a normative structure developed by UNESCO to defend cultural diversity.

The Montreal meeting marked the first time the ILC has met with the Director General. The ILC holds frequent exchanges with the Secretariat of UNESCO, notably with Katerina Stenou, Director of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue—most recently in Paris on May 16, when the ILC was represented by Debora Abramowicz, Coordinator of the French Coalition for Cultural Diversity, and Robert Pilon, Executive Vice President of the Canadian CCD.

Ibero-American Coalitions Gather in Fortaleza, Brazil, Then Have First-Ever Meeting With Ibero-American Ministers of Culture

From June 4 to 8, Brazil’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity hosted representatives of coalitions from Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and Paraguay. The gathering was made possible with the support of the Fortaleza Film Festival, which also featured representatives of the coalitions on a number of panel discussions on the theme of cultural diversity and cinema organized as part of the festival’s industry program.

A little over one month later, on July 14, a delegation representing the Ibero-American coalitions transmitted the declaration adopted at the conclusion of the Fortaleza meeting to a meeting of ministers of culture of the Ibero-American States, held July 13-14 in Montevideo, Uruguay. Jorge Bosso of the Spanish Coalition presented the declaration at the ministers’ meeting, accompanied by Anna Danieli, Mariana Gomez and Sergio Navato of the Uruguayan Coalition. Twenty-three countries were represented at the culture ministers meeting, which leads into the Ibero-American Summit that will take place in Montevideo in October.

The Coalitions’ declaration, also supported by colleagues from Argentina, Mexico and Portugal who could not be present for the Fortaleza meeting, urged the Ibero-American countries to accelerate their own ratification processes to ensure the convention enters into legal effect quickly.

“Prompt ratification will enable the Ibero-American countries to play a significant role in the directive bodies of the Convention, which will guarantee a global balance in its implementation.

Coalition Launched in Paraguay; Austrian Coalition Joins ILC

On May 22, eight leading Paraguayan Coalitions for Cultural Diversity took part in a public seminar in the capital city of Asuncion to mark the formation of the Paraguayan Coalition for Cultural Diversity.

Member organizations are drawn from the local film and television, performing arts, publishing and music sectors, and include: ASUNCINE, OPRAP, CAMBPRO, Gente de Cine, Cepate, the Paraguayan Dance Forum, the Paraguayan Authors Society, and the Society of artists, interpreters and producers of Paraguay.

For the seminar, which was organized by the Paraguyan National Commission for UNESCO and the Department of Foreign Affairs, the newly-established Coalition was joined by Robert Pilon on behalf of the International Liaison Committee of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity.

While in Paraguay, Pilon joined Paraguayan Coalition representative Alejandra Diaz for meetings with the Minister of Education responsible for culture, the Vice Minister of Culture, and several officials responsible for the ratification process.

Meanwhile, Austria’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity, which mobilized in 2005 to build local public and political support for the UNESCO convention in the run-up to the successful adoption vote at last October’s General Conference, has committed to continue its work and has formally asked to join the International Liaison Committee.

Writing on behalf of the Coalition, including its Chair Bernhard Perchinig, Susanne Puchberger advises that the Austrian CCD will be undertaking a micro-study on “the impact of GATS, EU/State Aid and the EU Directive (Bolkenstein Directive), which seem to be relevant in the European context.” The Coalition also intends to strengthen its contacts with the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour.

The addition of the Paraguyan and Austrian Coalitions brings to 35 the total number of coalitions now in existence.

Togo to Host Francophonie Coalitions, Cultural Organizations Meeting in September

On September 19-22 Togo’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity will host a major meeting of coalitions for cultural diversity and cultural professional organizations from member states of the International Organization of La Francophonie.

The Togo meeting will take place immediately prior to the Francophonie Summit of Heads of State and Government, which will be held in Bucharest, Romania, September 25-29.

Made possible with funding support from l’Agence Intergouvermentale de la Francophonie, the Togo meeting will bring together representatives from the 15 coalitions already established in Francophonie member countries, who will be joined by representatives of cultural organizations from an additional 5-10 countries.

The Togo meeting, which will be held in the capital city of Lome, is modelled on a gathering of coalitions and cultural organizations from18 countries held in December of 2004 in Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso, at the time of the 2004 Francophonie Summit.

The Ouahigouya meeting proved to be extremely successful in mobilizing Francophonie cultural organizations in support of the UNESCO convention, and was also the occasion for participants from African countries to establish the African network of coalitions. As well, immediately following the Ouahigouya meeting, a delegation of the participants traveled to the capital city of Ouagadougou to present the declaration to the conference of ministers responsible for Francophonie affairs held on the eve of the Summit, and to discuss with the ministers the state of play in the campaign to secure the convention at UNESCO.

With preparations for the Togo meeting shifting into high gear, Robert Pilon, on behalf of the International Liaison Committee, and Rasmane Ouedraogo, Secretary General of the African network of coalitions, travelled to Lome on June 17 for four days of working meetings with Togo CCD President Kodjo Cyriaque Noussouglo. In addition, the three met with Togo’s Minister of Culture, and the Chair of Togo’s National Assembly. The trip concluded with a press conference organized by the Togolese CCD to brief journalists on the status of the campaign to ratify the UNESCO convention, and to announce the upcoming conference of Francophonie coalitions and cultural professional organizations.

ILC Makes Presentations to Meetings of Parliamentarians of Americas, Francophonie

On July 1, CCD Canada Vice-President Gilles Pellerin was in Rabat, Morocco, to make a presentation on behalf of the ILC regarding the UNESCO convention on the occasion of the 32nd Session of the Assembly of parliamentarians of the International Organization of La Francophonie.

Pellerin, a Quebec City publisher and writer who represents the French-language independent publishers association ANEL, delivered his presentation to some 40 parliamentarians from La Francophonie member states, focusing on the current state of play in the campaign to ratify and implement the UNESCO convention. He emphasized the importance of a quick ratification of the convention by a significant number of countries—starting with securing the minimum target of 30 ratifications in time for the convention to enter into effect at the time of UNESCO’s next General Conference in October of 2007.

Pellerin’s presentation to the La Francophonie parliamentarians reflects an ILC strategy of delivering the message about the importance of timely ratification of the UNESCO convention to political bodies organized along regional and linguistic lines.

Earlier in June, Robert Pilon was in Quito, Ecuador, to deliver a similar presentation to a group of parliamentarians attending a meeting of COPA, the Confederation of Parliamentarians of the Americas.

FEDALA Writers Directors Meeting Backs Coalitions Call for Quick Ratification

Meeting July 20-21 in Mexico City, delegates of 14 member unions of the Latin-American Federation of Audiovisual Writers and Directors (FEDALA), endorsed the Coalitions’ campaign to ensure the UNESCO convention is ratified and implemented quickly:

“Apoyar la iniciativa de las Coaliciones para la Diversidad Cultural en su gestión ante UNESCO para la adopción de la “Convención sobre la protección y promoción de las expresiones
culturales” y exhortar a las autoridades competentes de nuestros países a ratificarlas en el menor tiempo posible.”

Debora Abramowicz, Coordinator of the French Coalition, was present for the Fedala meeting, and participated in the discussions leading to adoption of the final declaration.

FEDALA is affiliated with UNI-MEI, the international umbrella union bringing together unions from the media, entertainment and cultural sector.

Coalitions Take Part in Heinrich Boll Conference on Cultural Diversity in Beirut

In mid-May, Cécile Despringre of France’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity and Robert Pilon of Canada’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity were in Beirut, Lebanon, to represent the ILC as panellists during a conference on cultural diversity organized by the Beirut office of the Heinrich Boll Foundation.

Entitled “Negotiating Diversity: Challenges to Cultural Expression and Policies in the Corporate Era” the conference addressed the relevance of the cultural diversity debate for the Arab world, and was attended by approximately 50 cultural professionals and academics from Lebanon and neighbouring countries.

Also taking part as panellists were El-Hassane Neffali, President of the Moroccan Coalition for Cultural Diversity, and Zeyneb Farhat, President of the Tunisian CCD.

While in Beirut, Pilon, Neffali and Farhat joined Ghassan Koteit, a Lebanese filmmaker and head of the Fondation Cinéma Liban, for meetings with the country’s Minister of Culture Tarek Mitri to discuss the country’s plans for ratifying the UNESCO convention.

They also met with several key Lebanese cultural organizations to make a presentation on the goals and aims of the coalitions movement. Since then, approximately 10 organizations have been holding regular discussions regarding the creation of a local coalition, and a provisional committee has been struck to push this initiative forward. Obviously, however, the current military conflict has put these plans on hold indefinitely.

Coalitions in Brasilia for INCP Working Group Meeting

Geraldo Moraes, President of Brazil’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity, and Robert Pilon, of the Canadian Co-Secretariat of the International Liaison Committee of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (ILC), represented the coalitions at a May meeting of the working group on cultural diversity and globalization of the INCP culture ministers’ network.

The working group meeting—an officials level session—was in preparation for the upcoming INCP ministerial, which will be held November 23-24 in Rio de Janeiro. In their presentation, Moraes and Pilon detailed the work planned by the coalitions to promote fast-track ratification of the UNESCO convention over the next 12 months.

While in Brasilia, Pilon joined Moraes for a meeting with Juca Ferreira, executive secretary to Ministry of Culture, to discuss the status of the Brazil’s ratification plans, and a series of meetings with other officials responsible for the file.

ILC Meets With Cultural Organizations in Bolivia, Portugal, Turkey

In late June, CCD Canada Vice-President Gilles Pellerin was in Istanbul, Turkey for a series of meetings with leaders of key Turkish cultural organizations: the Independent Arts Council of Turkey, the Turkish Publishers Association and the MESAM, the music rights’ holders’ society. The organization leaders expressed a strong interest in starting the work of establishing a local coalition, and the ILC Secretariat will be doing follow-up work to support them in their efforts on this front.

Also on behalf of the ILC, Robert Pilon undertook a similar mission to La Paz, Bolivia, from May 25 to 29 for a series of meetings with leaders and professionals from the cultural milieu. While in La Paz, Pion joined Alfonso Alem for a meeting with Bolivia’s Vice Minister of Culture, and for other meetings with high-ranking officials responsible for the country’s ratification process.

From La Paz, Pilon travelled to Quito, Ecuador, where, in addition to making a presentation to the COPA Parliamentarians of the Americas meeting, he joined Ecuador’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity for a public seminar on ratification of the UNESCO convention, which was jointly organized with Andean University. Pilon joined Ecuador CCD representative for a series of meetings with officials responsible for the ratification process, and also met with Bolivia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Two weeks later, on June 9, Pilon travelled to Lisbon where he met with local cultural organizations representatives (Helena Vasques of Sindicato dos Musicos and Claudia Cadima of Gestão dos Direitos de Artistas) who are well advanced in the process of formally constituting a Portuguese Coalition. The organizations have been in regular discussion with the Portuguese government regarding the status of its ratification process.

ILC’s Pilon Joins Moroccan Coalition for Cultural Diversity Conference in Rabat

From Lisbon, Pilon travelled to Morroco to join local CCD President El-Hassane Neffali for a symposium on cultural diversity organized by the Ministry of Communications, the University of Rabat, and the University of Laval.. Pilon and Neffali both participated as panellists in the symposium, which was opened by Minister of Culture Mohamed Achaari and was attended by some 100 students, joined by representatives of the local cultural milieu.

ILC Presents Seminar on UNESCO Convention at CISAC Ibero-America Meeting in Costa Rica

On June 5, in San Jose Costa Rica, Robert Pilon of CCD Canada and Debora Abramowicz of CCD France joined Rafael Farinas of the Venezuelan Coalition for Cultural Diversity and Director General of SACVEN (the Venezuela society of authors and composers) to present a seminar on the campaign to ratify the UNESCO convention as part of the program for the Ibero-American meeting of CISAC, the International Confederation of Authors and Composers Societies. The meeting was attended by some 50 representatives of rights societies from Ibero-American countries.

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FIM Musicians International Adds Voice to Ratification Call

Members of the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM) meeting in Tel Aviv May 26-28 adopted a resolution urging countries to ratify the UNESCO convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions on an urgent basis.

“FIM has been fully supportive of and involved in the formulation and the development of this international instrument since its inception, as it will be of crucial importance in giving States the right to develop and sustain their national cultural policies irrespective of political and economic influences.

Adopted on October 20th, 2005, by a massive majority of UNESCO Member States, this international Convention will deliver its full potential only when a meaningful and significant number of ratifications by nation states have occurred.

Therefore the International Federation of Musicians urges governments to take all appropriate measures to ensure a swift ratification of this instrument in order to protect and promote creativity and creators, notably performers, and their works, in the interest of future generations.

FIM represents musicians’ trade unions and associations in over 70 countries.

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The WTO Talks: Going, Going, Gone?
If Doha Fails, Focus on Bilaterals Certain to Intensify

On July 24 in Geneva, WTO Director General Pascal Lamy decided that enough was enough and suspended the Doha Round of negotiations indefinitely.

Launched in early 2000, the current round of WTO negotiations has staggered from one missed deadline to the next over the past six years. Lamy suspended the negotiations after discussions among six major members broke down on Sunday 23 July. Ministers from Australia, Brazil, the European Union, India, Japan and the United States had met in Geneva to try to follow up on instructions from the St Petersburg G8 Summit July 17.

As has been the case all through the round, the main blockage was on the issues of market access and subsidies for agricultural goods, with the U.S. and Europe each trying to blame the other for not making sufficient concessions to make progress possible.

Within days, new efforts were underway to revive the talks. United States Trade Representative Susan Schwab travelled to Rio de Janeiro to meet with Brazil’s Foreign Minister Celso Amorim. And political leaders ranging from English Prime Minister Tony Blair to South African President Thabo Mbeki issued urgent calls to resume the talks.

What will happen next is far from clear. Crisis seems a precondition for breaking down entrenched positions in any negotiations. But parties close to the Doha talks have warned for some time that the sheer amount of work required to spell out technical details of the agreement, once the principal elements had been settled, made July the make-or-break month if any deal was to be reached before the end of 2006. The scope of work involved becomes clear when one realizes that the text of the 1993 Uruguay agreement came to more than 27,000 pages.

Political realities also come into play. The United States mid-term elections take place in November, and with them domestic protectionist sentiment often surges. After that, there will remain less than a year before President Bush’s fast-track negotiating authority from Congress expires in July of 2007. And all the while, as is the fate for all Presidents in their final term, Bush’s political power wanes with each passing month.

So maybe, to lift a phrase from Monty Python, this time the parrot really is dead. Not resting, not pining for the fjords. But well and truly defunct.

If this is truly the case, then look for the major economic powers to re-focus their energies on bilaterals. Not just the United States, but the European Union, India, Brazil, Japan, China and other countries.

An unnamed European Union official quoted in London’s Observer newspaper, noted that the United States was already well advanced on this count.

"Since Bush became president, the US has concluded 12 bilateral agreements, there are six ready for signature and 11 others under negotiation. That is a sign of what the US is about in terms of trade policy. It likes bilateral agreements.' Why? Because bilaterals tend to be more favourable to stronger negotiating parties than multilaterals, where exceptions and riders are less acceptable in final agreements.”

This frames the challenge clearly for cultural organizations in the months and years ahead: to be vigilant about any trade negotiation their government enters into, and to mobilize to ensure their government does not give away its right to apply cultural policies in a bid to secure greater market access for another sector of its economy. Because in such calculations, culture is almost always deemed dispensible.

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	Vol. 4, No. 3 and No. 4, Summer 2006 Double Issue UNESCO Ratification Momentum Builds: Mexico, Romania, Monaco, Bolivia and Djibouti Join Canada, Mauritius—File Ratifications With UNESCO Togo, Peru, Senegal, France, Finland, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Croatia Among Those Pending The campaign to implement the UNESCO convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions is building growing momentum: seven countries have formally deposited their instrument of ratification with UNESCO, and a further nine have completed their internal ratification processes. Canada, Mauritius, Mexico, Romania, Monaco, Bolivia, and Djibouti are the countries having formally filed their ratifications with UNESCO. Countries that have concluded their internal ratification processes and are expected to file their instruments with UNESCO in short order include Togo, Peru, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cambodia and Croatia . As well, Finland and France have become the first European Union member states to ratify at the national government level, just weeks after the Ministers of Culture of the European Union approved the convention on behalf of the EU on May 18. However, it is expected that Finland and France will wait until a critical mass of the EU’s 25 member states have ratified before depositing as a group with UNESCO. The determination of what constitutes a ‘critical mass’ will doubtless be a political one, and one would expect both the number of states ratifying, and the size of these countries, will figure in this calculation. A minimum of 30 ratifications is required for the convention to enter into effect, and Article 29 of the convention specifies that this will happen three months after deposit of the 30th instrument of ratification or accession at UNESCO. Given the widely-shared objective of having the convention enter into effect through its first Conference of Parties at the time of the 34th General Conference in October 2007, this makes June 30 the de facto target for meeting the 30 ratifications threshold. In other words, 10 months remain to reach, and ideally surpass, this target. When counting towards the 30 target, the distinction between ratification of the convention and deposition of the relevant instruments with UNESCO is crucial: a member state is only deemed to be a States Party to the Convention when it has filed its documentation with UNESCO’s Paris headquarters. Among the early ratifiers, some countries—Canada is one example—have been able to ratify quickly because their Westminster Parliamentary model of government enabled this process to be completed through a simple decision at the cabinet level. A much more common ratification process, however, entails legislation having to pass through the national legislature (both upper and lower houses, if these exist), often with referral to committee for study and recommendations. In some cases, the package is deemed approved when both legislative houses have approved it; generally, however, the final step required is signature and promulgation of the bill by the head of government. Even with strong political will to see ratification through, there are definite limits to how much these processes can be accelerated. Meaning it is better to get ratification in motion as soon as possible. Still, with seven ratifications deposited, a further nine pending—and ratification processes underway in several other countries (see end of article)—there are very real chances of reaching the 30-ratification threshold by the end of next June. But the key to reaching this target will be continuing, intense work at the individual country level by coalitions and leading cultural organizations to ensure their governments assign priority to moving their ratification bills quickly through the national legislature—straight through to the deposition of ratification instruments with UNESCO. Otherwise, the potential created by the early ratification momentum could be lost. There is a clear incentive for countries to ratify early: those that do will be among the participants at the first Conference of Parties, which will elect the initial 18-member Intergovernmental Committee that will be charged with developing the operational mechanisms of the convention. The Intergovernmental Committee members therefore stand to have a major role in setting the direction of the new convention. A country-by-country look at countries that have ratified follows, starting with Mexico, Romania, Monaco, Bolivia and Djibouti which have deposited their ratification instruments with UNESCO: Mexico After signature by the President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, Mexico’s ratification legislation was Gazetted on June 2, and its ratification process was completed when its instruments were filed with UNESCO on July 5. Romania Romania completed its process on July 20 by filing its documents of ‘adhesion’ with UNESCO. Just days later, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Romania’s becoming a member of UNESCO, Ambassador Andrei Magheru met with Director General Koïchiro Matsuura, and presented him with the original copies of his country’s documents of acceptance. “I receive this ratification with great satisfaction—the first by a European state,” said Matsuura. Monaco UNESCO’s website listing of states parties to the convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions lists July 31 as the date when Monaco deposited its ratification with UNESCO. Bolivia Bolivia deposited its ratification with UNESCO on August 4. The Senate vote to ratify the convention took place on May 4, and then referred the ratification legislation to the National Congress for its approval. Djibouti Djibouti’s ratification was deposited with UNESCO on August 9, just weeks after the country’s National Assembly voted to ratify the convention on June 21. The Council of Ministers had voted on May 16 to put the ratification project forward to the legislature. Togo Kodjo Noussouglo, President of Togo’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity, reports that on August 2, Togo’s National Assembly convened in an extraordinary session to approve legislation authorizing Togo’s ratification of the UNESCO convention. The only step now remaining is for Togo to deposit its ratification with UNESCO. In his report, Noussouglo recalls that the timing of Togo’s ratification was the subject of a June 18 meeting involving the President of the National Assembly, the Togolese Coalition and Robert Pilon of the Co-Secretariat of the International Liaison Committee of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity. “The President of the National Assembly promised the ILC that as soon as the Council of Ministers had approved the draft bill, the Assembly would interrupt its vacation in order to ratify,” Noussouglo noted. Writing on August 2, the Togolese Coalition President continued: “This evening, Rasmané Ouedraogo, Secretary General of the African Network of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity, and I called the President of the National Assembly and the Minister of Culture to congratulate them,” adding that similar expressions of thanks were being conveyed to the Head of State and Government, and a news release would be issued shortly. Peru As this issue of Coalition Currents was going into production, we received news from Elvira de La Puente of Peru’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity that on July 25, in one of his final acts as President, Alejandro Toledo had signed and promulgated the ratification legislation approved during the most recent session of Congress. The ratification bill was officially gazetted on July 26. Peru’s instruments of ratification remain to be deposited with UNESCO. Senegal Senegal’s National Assembly voted to ratify the convention on July 21. Senegal’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity, saluted the Senegalese government for its quick action to ratify. “We fought together along with the public authorities for the adoption of the convention October 20 in Paris. And so we congratulate the National Assembly, which has just authorized our Head of State to ratify the text,” said the Coalition’s Vice-President, Cheikh Ngaïdo Bâ. France On July 5, President Jacques Chirac completed France’s fast track ratification process by signing into law its ratification legislation. Two weeks earlier, on the occasion of the June 27 vote by the Senate to ratify the convention, France’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity had hailed the Government’s quick action to ratify the convention, saying the vote “confirmed France’s commitment to defend cultural diversity and to uphold pluralism of creation and culture.” The Coalition also “expressed the hope that a significant number of states, in particular European states, will quickly ratify in their turn this international convention in order to invest it with its full effectiveness within the international legal system.” Finland On June 29, Finland became the first European Union member state to ratify the convention President Tarja Halonen, signed the Act on the implementation of the legislative provisions of the UNESCO Convention. On the same day, Finland’s Prime Minister, Matti Vanhanen, signed the Instrument of Acceptance required for Finland to formally become Party to the Convention. Mali Mali’s National Assembly voted to ratify on June 29, following a favourable recommendation by the Council of Ministers on April 16. Croatia The Republic of Croatia ratified the convention on May 12. Deposit of its instruments of ratification with UNESCO is pending. Cambodia Cambodia’s ratification is referenced in a news release issued by the International Organization of La Francophonie on the occasion of the 60th Session of its Permanent Council, which included a roundtable discussion of the ratification processes underway in Francophonie member states. Efforts are underway to obtain official documentation from the Government of Cambodia. Burkina Faso As reported in the May issue of Coalition Currents, Burkina Faso’s National Assembly voted to approve ratification legislation on May 2. The deposit of Burkina Faso’s ratification instruments with UNESCO is pending. Underway: Brazil, Spain, Madagascar, Norway and Chile Several other countries have their ratification processes well underway: In Brazil, the Chamber of Deputies’ Education and Culture Committee voted in favour of ratification on June 20. But while the bill has been accorded urgent status, it must still pass through two other committees—Finance and Justice and Citizenship—and then must be voted on by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate before finally being signed by President Lula. The big question is whether all these hurdles can be overcome before the country’s energies shift to the campaign for the October presidential elections. In Spain, the Council of Ministers voted in favour of ratification on April 28. Accorded urgent status, the ratification bill has now been referred to Congress’s Foreign Affairs Committee, which has until September 5 to render a decision. It is hoped that Spain will complete its ratification by October. In Madagascar, the UNESCO convention was one of six bills approved by the country’s Senate on July 20. Norway released its ratification bill on June 16. However, as this issue of Coalition Currents went into production, more information was being sought about its timeline for ratification. Norway released its ratification bill on June 16. However, as this issue of Coalition Currents went into production, more information was being sought about its timeline for ratification. In Chile, newly-elected President Bachelet committed her government to ratify the UNESCO convention in the text of her speech to the nation on May 21. TOP France’s Chirac, La Francophonie, Ibero-American States : A Growing Chorus Calling for Ratificationy With his own government’s ratification of the UNESCO convention completed on July 5, French President Jacques Chirac immediately shifted his energies towards a wide-ranging campaign to promote early ratification and implementation of the Convention. On July 12, Chirac sent several letters emphasizing the importance of prompt ratification and implementation of the convention—to UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura, to Francophonie Secretary General Abdou Diouf, to Finland’s Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (congratulating his government completing its ratification on June 29), and to José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. Writing to UNESCO’s Director General, Chirac emphasized France’s desire to work towards the early entry into effect of the convention, which he hailed as “a major advance in the recognition in international law of the equal dignity of cultures and of the legitimacy of measures adopted by states to support their cultural policies” In his letter to Barroso, the French President congratulated the EC for its work to date in helping to develop a common position in favour of the convention among European Union member states, and stated that he considered it “essential that the European Commission, in the name of the Community, as well as the largest possible number of member states, be able to deposit together their instruments of ratification as quickly as possible with UNESCO.” Stating that the convention would have legal impacts, the French President said « its entry into effect is therefore necessary to enable states that wish it, particularly the countries of the South, to cite it when concluding their bilateral agreements.” He added that many non-EU countries were awaiting a decisive engagement in support of the convention by the European states, in light of their strong support for it during the negotiations. “This is the case for the Francophonie countries which will gather in Bucharest on September 28 and 29th.” Two weeks later, on July 20, Chirac hosted Quebec Premier Jean Charest for a meeting in which the two men undertook to work together in convincing states to ratify the convention as quickly as possible, identifying the upcoming Summit of La Francophonie as the occasion for a special effort in this context. La Francophonie Continues Its Work in Support of Ratification Chirac’s letter to Secretary General Abdou Diouf was an acknowledgement of the sustained leadership role the International Organization of La Francophonie has played in support of the convention going as far back as its 1999 Summit in Beirut, when La Francophonie members endorsed the concept of an international instrument on cultural diversity at UNESCO in their final declaration. The results of the ongoing championing of the convention by La Francophonie, and notably by its Secretary General Abdou Diouf, are reflected in the composition of the countries ratifying the convention early: Burkina Faso, Canada, Cambodia, Croatia, Djibouti, France, Mali, Mauritius, Romania, Senegal and Togo. Abdou Diouf’s latest public statement exhorting Francophonie member states to ratify came July 1 in Rabat, Morrocco, on the occasion of the 32nd Session of the Assembly of Parliamentarians of Francophonie. Calling La Francophonie “the veritable incarnation of cultural and linguistic diversity”, Diouf urged the Parliamentarians to concentrate their efforts in support of ratification within their own governments to ensure that the greatest possible number of Francophonie countries complete this process by the time of the Bucharest Summit in September. While the campaign was off to a good start, Diouf cautioned that his experience has taught him that “a great vigilance is needed in this type of process—as long as all of the steps have not been completed, the mobilization must continue, even intensify.” The Parliamentarians responded to Diouf’s appeal by voting to approve a recommendation urging La Francophonie to continue using all of its avenues to promote ratification while urging each of their governments to ratify the convention on a priority basis. Ibero-American Culture Ministers Reaffirm Support for UNESCO Convention Ministers attending the IXth Ibero-American Conference on Culture in Montevideo, Uruguay, July 13 and 14 used their closing declaration as another opportunity to express their support for the UNESCO convention: “We reiterate our engagement in support of the convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions, express our satisfaction on its adoption at the 33rd General Conference of UNESCO, and we undertake to set in motion its prompt ratification by the Ibero-American countries." The meeting was attended by representatives of the 23 member states of the Organization of Ibero-American States. African Union Commission Chair Urges Member States to Ratify Convention Alpha Oumar Konare, the Chair of the African Union Commission, used his opening address at the Seventh Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Gambia on July 1 and 2 to issue a call for the Union’s member states to ratify the convention. In urging African Union member states to act to ratify a number of important conventions and agreements concluded within the Union, Konare added: “It is equally important that African countries adhere to and ratify without delay the International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Diversity in Cultural Expressions.” COPA Parliamentarians Add their Voices to Ratification Campaign Parliamentarians of the Americas attending the Second General Assembly of the Confederation of Parliamentarians of the Americans (COPA) May 29 to June 3 in Quito, Ecuador, endorsed a declaration in which they committed “ to ensure that our respective parliaments ratify the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, adopted by UNESCO in October 2005, as soon as possible.” The Parliamentarians supported this engagement by voting to approve a specific recommendation on the convention, in which they: “REITERATE that cultural diversity is a source of great wealth for our societies and that respect for and value of this diversity contributes to social cohesion and the development of our nations; NOTE that each people has a right to ensure that no trade liberalization rules jeopardize its ability to promote its own culture and identity; CALL ON the states of the Americas to ratify, accept, and approve this Convention, or abide by it as soon as possible in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures. ‘ EU, Latin America and Caribbean Summit Yields Joint Ratification Call Meeting in Vienna May 12th heads of state and government attending the Fourth Summit of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, (EULAC, which brings together 60 countries) concluded their discussions by issuing a declaration strongly supporting timely ratification of the UNESCO convention, and committing to act on the international cooperation objectives set out in the convention: “We recognise the importance of cultural diversity as a factor of development, growth and stability, as illustrated by the adoption of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in October 2005. We support its prompt ratification and implementation. We recognise that cultural cooperation is essential in fostering intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding. In addition, we reaffirm our conviction that cultural activities and industries play a significant role in safeguarding, developing and promoting cultural diversity. We are committed to finding means to enhance both EULAC and intra-LAC cooperation and exchanges of expertise and good practices in this area as well as to enlarging EU-LAC cooperation in UNESCO.” Canada’s Government Commits to Continue Working to Promote Ratification Elected on January 23, Prime Minister Harper’s government has already issued clear signals of its intention to engage in the campaign to ensure the UNESCO convention is ratified quickly. On May 5, Prime Minister Harper travelled to Quebec City to sign with Premier Jean Charest an agreement setting out a formal role for Quebec at UNESCO. The preamble of the agreement recalls that the federal and Quebec governments “worked together actively in promoting the adoption of the Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions by the General Conference of UNESCO” and it commits Ottawa and Quebec to “continue this work in promoting the ratification and implementation of this international instrument.” On May 31, Minister of Canadian Heritage Beverley Oda, during the House of Commons Question Period, reaffirmed her government’s support for the UNESCO convention, and pledged to use her contacts with representatives of other governments to encourage them to ratify—adding that she had already met with Canada’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity to discuss this campaign and would continue to provide support for the Coalition’s work. During the same Question Period, Minister of International Trade David Emerson stated categorically that Canada would maintain its long-standing position of refraining from commitments on culture in trade negotiations: “Cultural industries and cultural protection are not a negotiable item for the Government of Canada. We are committed. We continue to live by that commitment and we will continue to do so.” And on June 6, during the 12th International Economic Conference of the Americas in Montreal, Sylvie Boucher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, delivering a speech on behalf of Minister Oda, affirmed her government’s commitment “to encourage the entry into force of the Convention in time for the next UNESCO General Conference, taking place in the fall of 2007.” The Minister’s speech emphasized that reaching the minimum threshold of ratifications by 30 member states required for the convention to enter into effect will be just the first step in investing the convention with legal and political weight. “I want to stress that that is the minimum needed; it is not the ultimate objective. A critical mass of countries will be required in order for the Convention to have real impact.” the Minister’s text stated. For this reason, Canada will work “to ensure a broad mass of ratifications within four years.” “I want to clearly state this government’s intention to work towards this goal,” the speech continued, adding that Ottawa would continue to work closely with civil society and with provincial and territorial governments to promote the UNESCO convention. TOP The Coalitions at Work: A Round-up Report on Recent Activities of the Coalitions Movement Coalitions Meet with Director General Matsuura in Montreal Pierre Curzi, Co-Chair of the Canadian Coalition for Cultural Diversity, represented the International Liaison Committee of CCDs at a meeting with UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura on June 7 to discuss the current state of play in the campaign to ratify and implement the UNESCO convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions. The approximately half-hour meeting took place following a ceremony held at the University of Quebec at Montreal to present the UNESCO Director General with an honorary doctorate. Yvon Charbonneau, Canada’s Ambassador to UNESCO, was also present for the meeting. On behalf of the Coalitions, Curzi, joined by CCD Canada’s Director of External Relations Jim McKee, stressed the high priority that cultural organizations around the world attach to seeing the convention ratified and implemented as quickly as possible, and expressed the coalitions’ commitment to working to promote quick ratification by countries around the world. Matsuura was in Montreal to be a keynote speaker on June 6 for the 12th International Economic Forum of the Americas. In his speech, the Director General stated that the recently adopted convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions represented the completion of a normative structure developed by UNESCO to defend cultural diversity. The Montreal meeting marked the first time the ILC has met with the Director General. The ILC holds frequent exchanges with the Secretariat of UNESCO, notably with Katerina Stenou, Director of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue—most recently in Paris on May 16, when the ILC was represented by Debora Abramowicz, Coordinator of the French Coalition for Cultural Diversity, and Robert Pilon, Executive Vice President of the Canadian CCD. Ibero-American Coalitions Gather in Fortaleza, Brazil, Then Have First-Ever Meeting With Ibero-American Ministers of Culture From June 4 to 8, Brazil’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity hosted representatives of coalitions from Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and Paraguay. The gathering was made possible with the support of the Fortaleza Film Festival, which also featured representatives of the coalitions on a number of panel discussions on the theme of cultural diversity and cinema organized as part of the festival’s industry program. A little over one month later, on July 14, a delegation representing the Ibero-American coalitions transmitted the declaration adopted at the conclusion of the Fortaleza meeting to a meeting of ministers of culture of the Ibero-American States, held July 13-14 in Montevideo, Uruguay. Jorge Bosso of the Spanish Coalition presented the declaration at the ministers’ meeting, accompanied by Anna Danieli, Mariana Gomez and Sergio Navato of the Uruguayan Coalition. Twenty-three countries were represented at the culture ministers meeting, which leads into the Ibero-American Summit that will take place in Montevideo in October. The Coalitions’ declaration, also supported by colleagues from Argentina, Mexico and Portugal who could not be present for the Fortaleza meeting, urged the Ibero-American countries to accelerate their own ratification processes to ensure the convention enters into legal effect quickly. “Prompt ratification will enable the Ibero-American countries to play a significant role in the directive bodies of the Convention, which will guarantee a global balance in its implementation. Coalition Launched in Paraguay; Austrian Coalition Joins ILC On May 22, eight leading Paraguayan Coalitions for Cultural Diversity took part in a public seminar in the capital city of Asuncion to mark the formation of the Paraguayan Coalition for Cultural Diversity. Member organizations are drawn from the local film and television, performing arts, publishing and music sectors, and include: ASUNCINE, OPRAP, CAMBPRO, Gente de Cine, Cepate, the Paraguayan Dance Forum, the Paraguayan Authors Society, and the Society of artists, interpreters and producers of Paraguay. For the seminar, which was organized by the Paraguyan National Commission for UNESCO and the Department of Foreign Affairs, the newly-established Coalition was joined by Robert Pilon on behalf of the International Liaison Committee of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity. While in Paraguay, Pilon joined Paraguayan Coalition representative Alejandra Diaz for meetings with the Minister of Education responsible for culture, the Vice Minister of Culture, and several officials responsible for the ratification process. Meanwhile, Austria’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity, which mobilized in 2005 to build local public and political support for the UNESCO convention in the run-up to the successful adoption vote at last October’s General Conference, has committed to continue its work and has formally asked to join the International Liaison Committee. Writing on behalf of the Coalition, including its Chair Bernhard Perchinig, Susanne Puchberger advises that the Austrian CCD will be undertaking a micro-study on “the impact of GATS, EU/State Aid and the EU Directive (Bolkenstein Directive), which seem to be relevant in the European context.” The Coalition also intends to strengthen its contacts with the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour. The addition of the Paraguyan and Austrian Coalitions brings to 35 the total number of coalitions now in existence. Togo to Host Francophonie Coalitions, Cultural Organizations Meeting in September On September 19-22 Togo’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity will host a major meeting of coalitions for cultural diversity and cultural professional organizations from member states of the International Organization of La Francophonie. The Togo meeting will take place immediately prior to the Francophonie Summit of Heads of State and Government, which will be held in Bucharest, Romania, September 25-29. Made possible with funding support from l’Agence Intergouvermentale de la Francophonie, the Togo meeting will bring together representatives from the 15 coalitions already established in Francophonie member countries, who will be joined by representatives of cultural organizations from an additional 5-10 countries. The Togo meeting, which will be held in the capital city of Lome, is modelled on a gathering of coalitions and cultural organizations from18 countries held in December of 2004 in Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso, at the time of the 2004 Francophonie Summit. The Ouahigouya meeting proved to be extremely successful in mobilizing Francophonie cultural organizations in support of the UNESCO convention, and was also the occasion for participants from African countries to establish the African network of coalitions. As well, immediately following the Ouahigouya meeting, a delegation of the participants traveled to the capital city of Ouagadougou to present the declaration to the conference of ministers responsible for Francophonie affairs held on the eve of the Summit, and to discuss with the ministers the state of play in the campaign to secure the convention at UNESCO. With preparations for the Togo meeting shifting into high gear, Robert Pilon, on behalf of the International Liaison Committee, and Rasmane Ouedraogo, Secretary General of the African network of coalitions, travelled to Lome on June 17 for four days of working meetings with Togo CCD President Kodjo Cyriaque Noussouglo. In addition, the three met with Togo’s Minister of Culture, and the Chair of Togo’s National Assembly. The trip concluded with a press conference organized by the Togolese CCD to brief journalists on the status of the campaign to ratify the UNESCO convention, and to announce the upcoming conference of Francophonie coalitions and cultural professional organizations. ILC Makes Presentations to Meetings of Parliamentarians of Americas, Francophonie On July 1, CCD Canada Vice-President Gilles Pellerin was in Rabat, Morocco, to make a presentation on behalf of the ILC regarding the UNESCO convention on the occasion of the 32nd Session of the Assembly of parliamentarians of the International Organization of La Francophonie. Pellerin, a Quebec City publisher and writer who represents the French-language independent publishers association ANEL, delivered his presentation to some 40 parliamentarians from La Francophonie member states, focusing on the current state of play in the campaign to ratify and implement the UNESCO convention. He emphasized the importance of a quick ratification of the convention by a significant number of countries—starting with securing the minimum target of 30 ratifications in time for the convention to enter into effect at the time of UNESCO’s next General Conference in October of 2007. Pellerin’s presentation to the La Francophonie parliamentarians reflects an ILC strategy of delivering the message about the importance of timely ratification of the UNESCO convention to political bodies organized along regional and linguistic lines. Earlier in June, Robert Pilon was in Quito, Ecuador, to deliver a similar presentation to a group of parliamentarians attending a meeting of COPA, the Confederation of Parliamentarians of the Americas. FEDALA Writers Directors Meeting Backs Coalitions Call for Quick Ratification Meeting July 20-21 in Mexico City, delegates of 14 member unions of the Latin-American Federation of Audiovisual Writers and Directors (FEDALA), endorsed the Coalitions’ campaign to ensure the UNESCO convention is ratified and implemented quickly: “Apoyar la iniciativa de las Coaliciones para la Diversidad Cultural en su gestión ante UNESCO para la adopción de la “Convención sobre la protección y promoción de las expresiones culturales” y exhortar a las autoridades competentes de nuestros países a ratificarlas en el menor tiempo posible.” Debora Abramowicz, Coordinator of the French Coalition, was present for the Fedala meeting, and participated in the discussions leading to adoption of the final declaration. FEDALA is affiliated with UNI-MEI, the international umbrella union bringing together unions from the media, entertainment and cultural sector. Coalitions Take Part in Heinrich Boll Conference on Cultural Diversity in Beirut In mid-May, Cécile Despringre of France’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity and Robert Pilon of Canada’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity were in Beirut, Lebanon, to represent the ILC as panellists during a conference on cultural diversity organized by the Beirut office of the Heinrich Boll Foundation. Entitled “Negotiating Diversity: Challenges to Cultural Expression and Policies in the Corporate Era” the conference addressed the relevance of the cultural diversity debate for the Arab world, and was attended by approximately 50 cultural professionals and academics from Lebanon and neighbouring countries. Also taking part as panellists were El-Hassane Neffali, President of the Moroccan Coalition for Cultural Diversity, and Zeyneb Farhat, President of the Tunisian CCD. While in Beirut, Pilon, Neffali and Farhat joined Ghassan Koteit, a Lebanese filmmaker and head of the Fondation Cinéma Liban, for meetings with the country’s Minister of Culture Tarek Mitri to discuss the country’s plans for ratifying the UNESCO convention. They also met with several key Lebanese cultural organizations to make a presentation on the goals and aims of the coalitions movement. Since then, approximately 10 organizations have been holding regular discussions regarding the creation of a local coalition, and a provisional committee has been struck to push this initiative forward. Obviously, however, the current military conflict has put these plans on hold indefinitely. Coalitions in Brasilia for INCP Working Group Meeting Geraldo Moraes, President of Brazil’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity, and Robert Pilon, of the Canadian Co-Secretariat of the International Liaison Committee of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (ILC), represented the coalitions at a May meeting of the working group on cultural diversity and globalization of the INCP culture ministers’ network. The working group meeting—an officials level session—was in preparation for the upcoming INCP ministerial, which will be held November 23-24 in Rio de Janeiro. In their presentation, Moraes and Pilon detailed the work planned by the coalitions to promote fast-track ratification of the UNESCO convention over the next 12 months. While in Brasilia, Pilon joined Moraes for a meeting with Juca Ferreira, executive secretary to Ministry of Culture, to discuss the status of the Brazil’s ratification plans, and a series of meetings with other officials responsible for the file. ILC Meets With Cultural Organizations in Bolivia, Portugal, Turkey In late June, CCD Canada Vice-President Gilles Pellerin was in Istanbul, Turkey for a series of meetings with leaders of key Turkish cultural organizations: the Independent Arts Council of Turkey, the Turkish Publishers Association and the MESAM, the music rights’ holders’ society. The organization leaders expressed a strong interest in starting the work of establishing a local coalition, and the ILC Secretariat will be doing follow-up work to support them in their efforts on this front. Also on behalf of the ILC, Robert Pilon undertook a similar mission to La Paz, Bolivia, from May 25 to 29 for a series of meetings with leaders and professionals from the cultural milieu. While in La Paz, Pion joined Alfonso Alem for a meeting with Bolivia’s Vice Minister of Culture, and for other meetings with high-ranking officials responsible for the country’s ratification process. From La Paz, Pilon travelled to Quito, Ecuador, where, in addition to making a presentation to the COPA Parliamentarians of the Americas meeting, he joined Ecuador’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity for a public seminar on ratification of the UNESCO convention, which was jointly organized with Andean University. Pilon joined Ecuador CCD representative for a series of meetings with officials responsible for the ratification process, and also met with Bolivia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Two weeks later, on June 9, Pilon travelled to Lisbon where he met with local cultural organizations representatives (Helena Vasques of Sindicato dos Musicos and Claudia Cadima of Gestão dos Direitos de Artistas) who are well advanced in the process of formally constituting a Portuguese Coalition. The organizations have been in regular discussion with the Portuguese government regarding the status of its ratification process. ILC’s Pilon Joins Moroccan Coalition for Cultural Diversity Conference in Rabat From Lisbon, Pilon travelled to Morroco to join local CCD President El-Hassane Neffali for a symposium on cultural diversity organized by the Ministry of Communications, the University of Rabat, and the University of Laval.. Pilon and Neffali both participated as panellists in the symposium, which was opened by Minister of Culture Mohamed Achaari and was attended by some 100 students, joined by representatives of the local cultural milieu. ILC Presents Seminar on UNESCO Convention at CISAC Ibero-America Meeting in Costa Rica On June 5, in San Jose Costa Rica, Robert Pilon of CCD Canada and Debora Abramowicz of CCD France joined Rafael Farinas of the Venezuelan Coalition for Cultural Diversity and Director General of SACVEN (the Venezuela society of authors and composers) to present a seminar on the campaign to ratify the UNESCO convention as part of the program for the Ibero-American meeting of CISAC, the International Confederation of Authors and Composers Societies. The meeting was attended by some 50 representatives of rights societies from Ibero-American countries. TOP FIM Musicians International Adds Voice to Ratification Call Members of the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM) meeting in Tel Aviv May 26-28 adopted a resolution urging countries to ratify the UNESCO convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions on an urgent basis. “FIM has been fully supportive of and involved in the formulation and the development of this international instrument since its inception, as it will be of crucial importance in giving States the right to develop and sustain their national cultural policies irrespective of political and economic influences. Adopted on October 20th, 2005, by a massive majority of UNESCO Member States, this international Convention will deliver its full potential only when a meaningful and significant number of ratifications by nation states have occurred. Therefore the International Federation of Musicians urges governments to take all appropriate measures to ensure a swift ratification of this instrument in order to protect and promote creativity and creators, notably performers, and their works, in the interest of future generations. FIM represents musicians’ trade unions and associations in over 70 countries. TOP The WTO Talks: Going, Going, Gone? If Doha Fails, Focus on Bilaterals Certain to Intensify On July 24 in Geneva, WTO Director General Pascal Lamy decided that enough was enough and suspended the Doha Round of negotiations indefinitely. Launched in early 2000, the current round of WTO negotiations has staggered from one missed deadline to the next over the past six years. Lamy suspended the negotiations after discussions among six major members broke down on Sunday 23 July. Ministers from Australia, Brazil, the European Union, India, Japan and the United States had met in Geneva to try to follow up on instructions from the St Petersburg G8 Summit July 17. As has been the case all through the round, the main blockage was on the issues of market access and subsidies for agricultural goods, with the U.S. and Europe each trying to blame the other for not making sufficient concessions to make progress possible. Within days, new efforts were underway to revive the talks. United States Trade Representative Susan Schwab travelled to Rio de Janeiro to meet with Brazil’s Foreign Minister Celso Amorim. And political leaders ranging from English Prime Minister Tony Blair to South African President Thabo Mbeki issued urgent calls to resume the talks. What will happen next is far from clear. Crisis seems a precondition for breaking down entrenched positions in any negotiations. But parties close to the Doha talks have warned for some time that the sheer amount of work required to spell out technical details of the agreement, once the principal elements had been settled, made July the make-or-break month if any deal was to be reached before the end of 2006. The scope of work involved becomes clear when one realizes that the text of the 1993 Uruguay agreement came to more than 27,000 pages. Political realities also come into play. The United States mid-term elections take place in November, and with them domestic protectionist sentiment often surges. After that, there will remain less than a year before President Bush’s fast-track negotiating authority from Congress expires in July of 2007. And all the while, as is the fate for all Presidents in their final term, Bush’s political power wanes with each passing month. So maybe, to lift a phrase from Monty Python, this time the parrot really is dead. Not resting, not pining for the fjords. But well and truly defunct. If this is truly the case, then look for the major economic powers to re-focus their energies on bilaterals. Not just the United States, but the European Union, India, Brazil, Japan, China and other countries. An unnamed European Union official quoted in London’s Observer newspaper, noted that the United States was already well advanced on this count. "Since Bush became president, the US has concluded 12 bilateral agreements, there are six ready for signature and 11 others under negotiation. That is a sign of what the US is about in terms of trade policy. It likes bilateral agreements.' Why? Because bilaterals tend to be more favourable to stronger negotiating parties than multilaterals, where exceptions and riders are less acceptable in final agreements.” This frames the challenge clearly for cultural organizations in the months and years ahead: to be vigilant about any trade negotiation their government enters into, and to mobilize to ensure their government does not give away its right to apply cultural policies in a bid to secure greater market access for another sector of its economy. Because in such calculations, culture is almost always deemed dispensible. TOP			UNESCO Ratification Momentum Builds: Mexico, Romania, Monaco, Bolivia and Djibouti Join Canada, Mauritius—File Ratifications With UNESCO Togo, Peru, Senegal, France, Finland, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Croatia Among Those Pending France’s Chirac, La Francophonie, Ibero-American States : A Growing Chorus Calling for Ratification The Coalitions at Work: A Round-up Report on Recent Activities of the Coalitions Movement FIM Musicians International Adds Voice to Ratification Call The WTO Talks: Going, Going, Gone? If Doha Fails, Focus on Bilaterals Certain to Intensify Coalition Currents is published by the Secretariat for the International Liaison Committee of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (ILC). Member Coalitions: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Ecuador, France, Germany, Guinea, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Korea, Mali, Morocco, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Uruguay, Venezuela. 154 Laurier Ave. West, Suite 240 Montreal, QUE H2T 2N7 T. (514) 277-2666 F. (514) 277-9994 www.coalitionfrancaise.org e-mail: Editor: Jim McKee Contributors in this issue: Robert Pilon, Bruno Bettati, Jean-Luc Pilon et Lise Bourgeau We welcome re-use of material from this bulletin with attribution. Coalition Currents is published with the financial assistance of Canada’s Department of Canadian Heritage, Department of Foreign Affairs, the Government of Quebec, the Ministry of Culture of Ontario, and the Government of New Brunswick