Programa IberCultura Viva [IberCultura Viva Program]
The IberCultura Viva Program was approved during the 16th Iberian-American Culture Conference that took place in 2013 in Panama City. It is an intergovernmental initiative in the scope of the Iberian-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) and the Organization of Iberian-American States (OEI).
This Program has the following goals: (i) to promote the development of public policies that strengthen the cultures of communities; (ii) to promote consensus, alliances and joint action exchanges among the several social and governmental actors of Iberian-American countries; (iii) to promote the creation and dissemination of cultural content, preferably multilingual; (iv) to expand and ensure equitable access to means of cultural production, dissemination and fruition; (v) to promote the development of a cooperative, supportive and transformative culture through the reinforcement of community organization capabilities; (vi) to use artistic languages, symbols and cultural spaces, as well as the creative appropriation of cultural heritage to encourage critical reflection and the construction of civic virtues.
? IberCultura Viva is an international cooperation program that aims at strengthening community-based by the promotion of public policies and the development of actions that promote civic rights and cultural diversity. Its starting point of reference is the Brazilian experience with the “Cultura Viva” Program, which recognizes and fosters cultural initiatives such as the Culture Points, and creates an organic network of management, mobilization and creation. All Member Countries of Iberian-America may participate, as well as Latin American institutions, multilateral organizations, regions and localities of Latin American countries and observer States as well as organizations of observers associated to this statement. Presently, there are 10 Member Countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Spain, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
As a result, the “IberCultura Viva” program is expected to consolidate a platform for the coordination and exchange of experiences, abilities, networks, policies and regulations within the domain of Brazilian community-based culture to contribute toward promoting culture as a development strategy for Latin American countries, consequently strengthening the dialogue with civil society as part of its original principles and goals.
The major challenge presented is maintaining the perennial status of the “IberCultura Viva” Program, in order to amplify its potential as a vector of cultural integration in the Latin American space.
Presently, the Ministry of Culture of Brazil is heading the program and allocating an yearly amount of 50,000 USD.