From the Focal Point

FIRST MEETING OF THE EXPERT FACILITY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2005 CONVENTION

As part of UNESCO's activities on implementing the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, UNESCO organized the first meeting of the Expert Facility for the Implementation of the 2005 Convention, which was held in Casablanca, Morocco, on 18 - 19 May 2015.

This Facility was first launched in 2011 within the Framework of the project on Strengthening the System of Governance for Culture in Developing Countries, supported by the European Union. As of 2015, the Swedish Development Cooperation Agency launched a new three-year programme (2015-2017) with the focus on enhancing fundamental freedoms through the promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions. The project will include two strands. The Expert Facility will be involved in capacity building and development of policies and projects in 12 selected countries (Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Tunisia, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe). The other strand of this project refers to the production of two biennial Global Monitoring Reports (2015 and 2017) that will provide information and reflection on the implementation of the Convention and the results achieved in UNESCO member states.

The purpose of the meeting was to share a common knowledge and understanding of the overall capacity-building strategy, projects, tools and methodology regarding the 2005 Convention, and to discuss, more specifically, the implementation of the project entitled Enhancing Fundamental Freedoms Through the Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The Expert Facility comprises 43 international high level experts from various geographical backgrounds and areas of expertise, including Nina Obuljen Korzinek, research associate at IRMO and member of the Culturelink Team.

More information about the Casablanca meeting and the project can be found at en.unesco.org/creativity/node/8681

1.   PUTTING CULTURE IN ITS PLACE IN POLITICAL ECONOMY

The Inaugural Conference of the Cultural Political Economy Research Centre (CPERC) will be held at the University of Lancaster, United Kingdom, on 1 - 2 September 2015. The event, entitled Putting Culture in its Place in Political Economy is open to researchers and graduate students. The concept of cultural changes and the critical discourse as well as political economic analysis, among other issues, will be discussed. Summaries of papers contributing to this debate are invited before 29 June 2015. >>>

2.   CALL FOR PAPERS TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL LOCALITIES

Papers are invited to be published in Localities, an international journal of the Center for Locality and Humanities at the Korean Studies Institute (Pusan National University). The deadline for submissions is 31 July 2015. >>>

3.   FOR AND AGAINST MODELS OF OFFICIAL MULTICULTURALISM AND MULTILINGUALISM

The international conference For and Against Models of Official Multiculturalism and Multilingualism will be held at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, on 5 - 7 May 2016. The deadline for the submission of 300-word proposals in English or French is 30 September 2015. >>>

4.   PILOT CITIES 2015-2017

Following the adoption of Culture 21: Actions at the UCLG (United Cities and Local Governments) Culture Summit held in Bilbao, Spain in March 2015, and the successful experience of the Pilot Cities programme in 2014, the Committee on Culture of UCLG is launching "Culture in Sustainable Cities - Learning with Culture 21: Actions". Cities interested in participating in this programme should express interest in their involvement by 19 June 2015. >>>

5.   TANDEM SHAML - CULTURAL MANAGERS EXCHANGE

Tandem Shaml supports experimental collaborations between cultural change makers from the Arab Region and Europe. For the upcoming round 2015-2016, Tandem Shaml offers 16 cultural organisations, 8 from Europe and 8 from the Arab Region, the unique opportunity to establish cross-border cooperation links. The aplication deadline is 22 June 2015. >>>

6.   OPEN CALL FOR TENDERS EAC/53/2014: EUROPEAN EXPERT NETWORK ON CULTURE AND AUDIOVISUAL (EENCA)

The European Commission intends to establish an Expert Network on Culture and Audiovisual (EENCA) through which the research community will be called upon to contribute to policy-making in the fields of culture and audiovisual. The deadline for submission is 14 July 2015. >>>

7.   2021 EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE

The Directorate General for Education and Culture of the European Commission encourages cities of the candidate countries (Romania and Greece) and EU candidate countries who participate in the Creative Europe programme, to submit applications under the EU action 'European Capital of Culture' for 2021. The deadline for applications is open until 23 October 2015. >>>

8.   NEW ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP: DIGITAL CULTURE AND CULTURAL POLICY

The international University of British Columbia (UBC) Centre for Cultural Planning and Development is offering a new online professional development workshop entitled Digital Culture and Cultural Policy, to take place on 13 - 27 October 2015. >>>

9.   HARNESSING THE ARTS TO BREAK CULTURAL BARRIERS

The international conference Harnessing the Arts to Break Cultural Barriers, organised by the Matasia Arts Center, will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 7 - 8 August 2015. The conference is expected to bring together artists from 170 countries. >>>

10.   THE BEST IN HERITAGE CONFERENCE

The 14th edition of The Best in Heritage conference will be held in Dubrovnik, Croatia on 24 - 26 September 2015. In addition, a post-conference seminar on Financing Heritage Institutions in Times of Scarcity will take place on 27 September 2015 at the Inter-University Centre Dubrovnik. >>>

11.   EUROPEAN COLLOQUIUM ON CULTURE; CREATIVITY AND ECONOMY

The 4th European Colloquium on Culture, Creativity, and Economy will be held in Florence, Italy on 8 - 10 October 2015, hosted by the Centre for Research on Innovation and Industrial Dynamics (CIND) in collaboration with the Florence University. The Cultural and Creative Economy Research Group (CIND Creating) focuses on how the cultural economy is evolving and how we can understand its future. >>>

12.   PEN INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS: TRANSLATION = CREATION = FREEDOM

The 81st PEN International Congress: Translation = Creation = Freedom, organised by the Quebec Center for PEN International, will take place in Quebec City, Canada, on 13 - 16 October 2015. Translators and translation will occupy centre stage at the Quebec Congress. >>>

13.   THE ECOLOGY OF CULTURE: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, CO-CREATION, CROSS FERTILIZATION

Academics, researchers, professionals from the cultural sector, policy makers, artists, students and media from Europe and beyond will gather for the 23rd ENCATC Annual Conference on The Ecology of Culture: Community Engagement, Co-creation, Cross Fertilization to be held in Lecce, Italy, on 21 - 23 October 2015. >>>

14.   ARTISTIC MOBILITY ALLIANCE

In 2015 the Roberto Cimetta Fund decided to launch an Artistic Mobility Alliance initiative to widen the funding possibilities of exchange for artists and cultural operators travelling between the Euro-Arab geographical zone and other parts of the world. A cultural mapping process will be undertaken to identify mobility needs and provide statistical data to demonstrate the demand. >>>

15.   GLOBAL COMMUNICATION

The book Global Communication explores the history, present and future of global communication, introducing and explaining the theories, stories and flows of information and media that affect us all. >>>

16.   CULTURAL ROUTES MANAGEMENT: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

This book explores a Cultural Route model that has evolved into an exemplary system for sustainable, transnational co-operation and that has proved to be a successful road map for socio-economic development, cultural heritage promotion and intergenerational communication. >>>

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