Leaders of more than 25 Turkish cultural organizations gathered in Istanbul for a two-day seminar on the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

The seminar featured presentations by representatives of the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity, and was hosted by the Turkish Ministry of Culture.

Dr. Ş. Abdurrahman ÇELİK, Director General of the General Directorate of Copyright and Cinema, Ministry of Culture and Tourism opened the seminar. The two-day seminar also featured presentations by Gunay Kiraci, the Deputy General Director, and by Ocal Oguz of Turkey’s National Commission for UNESCO.

Jim McKee, the IFCCD’s General Secretary, was joined by Christine Merkel, Head of the Division for Culture and Communications of the German National Commission for UNESCO, and also a representative of Germany’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity.

The seminar featured presentations on the evolution of the campaign for an international instrument on cultural diversity and on the emergence of a global movement of coalitions for cultural diversity committed to supporting the right of governments to use policies and other measures to support their domestic cultural sectors. An update on the survey of Turkey’s cultural policies, being carried out by the Council of Europe in partnership with the Turkish Government, was also provided.

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