Rethinking cultural policies in the digital age: Ministers of Culture of Mercosur set out new priorities for regional integration with UNESCO
The XLV meeting of Ministers of culture of Mercosur was hosted by the UNESCO Montevideo Office at Villa Ocampo, Argentina, on June 27, 2019. Amongst the key topics discussed were: enhancing market access and regional integration for cultural and creative industries, boosting the creative economy for youth, facilitating circulation of cultural goods and services, and promoting the mobility of cultural professionals. Ministers and State Secretaries of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay were present, signaling the importance the region puts on the future of this emerging sector.
“In order to overcome existing imbalances, we need wider circulation of artists and distribution of cultural goods and services”, said Pablo Avelluto, Argentina’s Secretary of State for Culture and the chair of the meeting. “New initiatives to promote training and the exchange of experiences and good practices are also required,” he added.
“UNESCO reaffirms its commitment to support actions and policies that can strengthen regional integration strategies for the creative sectors of Mercosur. UNESCO’s 2005 Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions provides a sound policy framework to advance this priority”, emphasized Lidia Brito, Director of UNESCO Montevideo Office.
Discussions were built around main findings and recommendations of UNESCO’s flagship publication 2018 Global Report Re|Shaping Cultural Policies. “This report sheds light on new policies and measures to support artistic freedom, mobility, gender equality, public service media. We also know that investments in digital creativity and entrepreneurship are increasing in all regions of the world. UNESCO is ready to work with Mercosur on these emerging policy issues”, added Mrs. Brito.
En la XLV Reunión de Ministros de Cultura del Mercosur en @UnescoVOcampo, se trabajó en generar acciones y acuerdos para impulsar la integración cultural en la región, como una de las principales plataformas de acercamiento al mundo. El resumen de la jornada #MercosurCultural pic.twitter.com/lesM7GpEMg
— Cultura Nación (@CulturaNacionAR) July 1, 2019
In their final declaration, Ministers adopted a Work Plan of Mercosur Cultural for 2019-2020, giving priority to the region’s future cultural policies in digital environments that could be presented to UNESCO’s Global Forum of ministers of Culture in November 2019 as well as to the enhancement of cultural data and information systems. UNESCO’s Open Roadmap to promote the diversity of cultural expressions in the digital environment, adopted by the Conference of Parties to the 2005 Convention in June 2019, will be a key resource to identify best practices, and explore opportunities for future action. A study on opportunities for regional integration in the publishing sector will also be carried out by UNESCO’s category 2 Regional Centre for Book Development in Latin America and the Caribbean category (CERLAC).
The ministers also agreed to reactivate the Market of Cultural Industries of the South (MICSUR), to be hosted by Uruguay in 2020, expanding spaces for multilateral dialogue and agreements. Likewise, a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a platform on creative economy was signed between Argentina and Bolivia, increasing the exchange of cultural goods and services between the two countries in key creative sectors such as performing arts, audiovisual arts, design, publishing, music, architecture and photography.
The meeting was followed by the Americas Cultural Summit 2019 in Buenos Aires from 27-29 June 2019. Taking take place alongside the Creative Industries Market of Argentina (MICA), it brought together senior government authorities, public funding bodies, institutions and practitioners from the arts and culture sector across the region to discuss, in particular, new cultural models and practices in the digital age, the rise of collaborative and networked culture, and digital inclusion challenges.
