A. Monitoring the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
Status: October 2012
The table below was devised following a decision at the 5th Compendium Authors meeting held in Budapest, Spring 2006, to begin monitoring the UNESCO Convention among Compendium countries, going beyond the information published on the relevant UNESCO website.
Information responding to the following questions is updated on a regular basis:
- Which countries have ratified the Convention?
- Who is responsible for its implementation?
- Are there civil society organisations involved in the process?
|
Country |
Ratification/ |
Deposit* at UNESCO |
Main Ministry |
Member of the Intergov. Committee** |
Other Active Bodies |
Important Debates, Studies and |
|
Albania |
24 September 2006 |
17 November 2006 |
Ministry of Tourism and Culture |
2009-2013 |
-- |
-- |
|
Armenia |
N/A |
27 February 2007 |
Ministry of Culture |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Austria |
8 August 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Austrian Federal Chancellery Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture Ministry for Foreign Affairs |
2007-2009 |
Austrian Commission for UNESCO: Working Group "Cultural Diversity" established in 2004, followed, in March 2010, by a National Cultural Diversity Contact Point. Publication of a brochure focussing on economic implications of the Convention ("Culture for Sale?") |
Some NGO's, such as the IG Kultur, try to reanimate public debate about this "Magna Charta of international cultural policy". In 2009/10, the österreichische kulturdokumentation prepared a catalogue of measures for the implementation of the UNESCO Convention in Austrian cultural policy. |
|
Azerbaijan |
Government has initiated procedures to ratify the Convention. |
15 February 2010 |
Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
-- |
National Commission for UNESCO |
EU-Azerbaijan Action Plan involves exchanging views on the implementation of the UNESCO Convention |
|
Belgium |
Government has not yet ratified the Convention. |
-- |
Involvement of all concerned governments and ministries of the regional and federal level. |
-- |
Coalition belge francophone pour la diversité culturelle Flemish Commission for UNESCO |
Approval between the Federal and the Flemish Government regarding the ratification of the Convention expected in 2012 |
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
-- |
27 January 2009 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Bulgaria |
18 December 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministry of Culture |
2009-2013 |
Bulgarian National UNESCO Commission |
Promotion of original publication "Right of Cultural Diversity" by Ivan Kabakov (University Ed. "St. Kliment Ohridski" 2007) Publication "Fragments from the Future. The Impact of cultural diversity and globalization on policies for culture" - collection of articles from BG and foreign authors |
|
Canada |
23 November 2005*** |
25 November 2005 |
Department of Canadian Heritage Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade |
2007 - 2013 |
Canadian Coalition for Cultural Diversity The Canadian Commission for UNESCO International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity |
The Department of Canadian Heritage is working closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, with the provinces and territories, and with Canada's arts and cultural community to play an active role in the implementation of the Convention. It also continues to advocate for the widespread ratification of the Convention as this will strengthen its effectiveness. |
|
Croatia |
Ratified by the Croatian Parliament on 12 May 2006 |
31 August 2006 |
Ministry of Culture |
2007-2011 |
Croatian membership in INCD and contacts with professionals in the CCD. National Commission for UNESCO. |
In 2006, Culturelink published a book on the UNESCO Convention: ("Making it Work"). In 2009, Culturelink/IMO team prepared a paper on Article 19 based on Culturelink Network's Twenty Years of Experience Every year Croatian Commission for UNESCO and Ministry of Culture mark the international "Day of Cultural Diversity" with a number of events. |
|
Cyprus |
19 December 2006 |
19 December 2006 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Czech Republic |
|
12 August 2010 | Ministry of Culture | -- | -- | The Ministry is working on the implementation of the Convention |
|
Denmark |
18 December 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministry of Culture |
-- |
National Commission for UNESCO |
On 10 January 2007, the Ministry of Culture organised a first meeting of members of the Cultural Committee of the Parliament (Folketingets Kulturudvalg) and representatives from the culture sector to discuss the implications of the convention. It was decided to organise follow- up meetings every year with the purpose to discuss experiences and challenges and to consult the cultural sector on initiatives taken by the Ministry in order to meet its requirements under the Convention. |
|
Estonia |
23 November 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministry of Culture |
-- |
Estonian National UNESCO Commission |
An Estonian translation of the Convention has been prepared. The Convention is implemented and monitored by the Cultural Heritage Department of the Tallinn City Government. |
|
Finland |
29 June 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministry of Education and Culture |
2007-2009 |
Finnish National Commission for UNESCO |
No decision yet on who is responsible for implementing the information and monitoring functions stipulated in Article 9 of the Convention |
|
France |
5 July 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministère de la culture et de la communication |
2009 - 2013 |
In February 2007, a joint French-German parliamentary committee published a Report on the Convention and Cultural Diversity in Europe. |
|
|
Georgia |
14 May 2008 |
1 July 2008 |
Ministry of Culture, Monuments Protection and Sport; |
-- |
Georgian National Commission for UNESCO (Convention monitoring)
|
Work related to the implementation of the Convention is in progress. Establishment of an expert group for the implementation of the Convention is envisaged. |
|
Germany |
7 March 2007 |
12 March 2007 |
German Foreign Office |
2007-2011 |
German Commission for UNESCO Bundesweite Koalition für Kulturelle Vielfalt Deutscher Kulturat Joint French-German parliamentary committee Report on the Convention and Cultural Diversity in Europe (February 2007) |
U-40 Capacity Building Programme "Cultural Diversity 2030" (2008-2010). 7th consulation of Bundesweite Koalition für Kulturelle Vielfalt (May 2009). Preparation of a White Paper (2009-2010) White Paper (2005) Kulturelle Vielfalt gestalten. Weißbuch der Zivilgesellschaft zur Umsetzung des UNESCO-àœbereinkommens zur Vielfalt kultureller Ausdrucksformen. EU-Presidency Conference (April 2007): Cultural Diversity- Europe's Wealth: Bringing the UNESCO Convention to Life Seminar (November 2007): Policies and Best Practices for Cultural Diversity and Capacity Building (publication: Cultural Diversity - Our Common Wealth. The Essen/RUHR.2010 Bellini Manual On Prospects of Cultural Diversity) |
|
Greece |
3 January 2007 |
3 January 2007 |
Hellenic Ministry of Culture |
2007-2011 |
-- |
Ministry responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the Convention |
| Holy See | -- | -- | -- | -- | Pontifical Council for Culture (PCC) | While not a Member State of UNESCO, the PCC sees a responsibility for "the Catholic Church's global pastoral adoption and implementation" of the Convention. |
|
Hungary |
25 February 2008 |
9 May 2008 |
Ministry of Education and Culture |
-- |
Coalition hongroise pour la diversité culturelle |
The UNESCO Convention is not yet a key issue among key actors including the administration, civil society or culture professionals. |
|
Iceland |
-- |
1 February 2007 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Ireland |
19 December 2006 |
22 December 2006 |
Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht |
-- |
Irish Coalition for Cultural Diversity |
At the moment, there is no debate about the Convention, its articles or how it will be implemented in practice. |
|
Italy |
Internal ratification process by the Senate was finalised on Nov 14, 2006 and ratified by the Parliament on 31 January 2007 |
19 February 2007 |
Ministry for Heritage and Cultural Activities, Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
-- |
Commissione Italiana Nazionale per l'UNESCO Coalizione Italiana per la Diversità Culturale |
Since ratification, several conferences and seminars have been organised by the Ministry for Heritage and/or the Italian Coalition for Cultural Diversity, with a view to promoting and discussing the Convention's contents. A special issue of the journal "Economia della cultura" on the Convention, jointly edited by the Italian Association for Cultural Economics and the Italian Coalition for Cultural Diversity was published. |
|
Latvia |
June 2007 |
6 July 2007 |
Ministry of Culture |
-- |
National Commission for UNESCO |
Public discussions |
| Liechtenstein | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Liechtenstein's government policy does not foresee a membership in UNESCO, at the present time |
|
Lithuania |
14 December 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministry of Culture |
2007-2011 |
-- |
-- |
|
Luxembourg |
18 December 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
-- |
2007 - 2011 |
-- |
-- |
|
FYR of Macedonia |
22 May 2007 |
22 May 2007 |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture |
-- |
National Commission for UNESCO (depends on the field of interest) |
The 2nd World Conference on Inter-Religious and Inter-Civilisation Dialogue, Religions and Cultures - Strengthening Links among Nations, was held from 6-8 May 2010 in Ohrid |
|
Malta |
5 December 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministry for Tourism and Culture and Ministry for Education, sometimes also the Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs |
-- |
-- |
Discussions are being held between the responsible ministries to set up a National Observatory on cultural diversity as well as a National Coalition to support the implementation of the Convention as proposed by the German Commission for UNESCO and the U40 working group it has set up for this purpose. However no time-frame has been set. |
|
Moldova |
5 October 2006 |
5 October 2006 |
Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education and the State Department for Inter-Ethnic Relations |
-- |
Moldovan National Commission for UNESCO. Several ngos on human rights and minority issues. |
Some of the most important centres and associations for human rights and minority issues are involved in the implementation and monitoring of the Convention (seminars, other information events, etc.) |
|
Monaco |
28 March 2007 |
31 July 2006 |
Government (Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs) |
-- |
National Commission for UNESCO |
-- |
|
Montenegro |
24 June 2008 |
24 June 2008 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
The Netherlands |
September 2009 |
9 October 2009 |
Ministry of Education, Culture and Science |
-- |
Dutch National Commission for UNESCO There is no National Coalition in the Netherlands |
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science commissioned the Netherlands National Commission for UNESCO to undertake a study of the possible implications of ratification on Dutch legislation. This study was realised in cooperation with a group of experts. In depth interviews were conducted with key actors operating in both subsidised and private institutions. **** |
|
Norway |
17 January 2007 |
17 January 2007 |
Ministry of Culture |
-- |
-- |
Active role of universities or research bodies in the debate of cultural rights and diversity issues |
|
Poland |
17 August 2007 |
17 August 2007 |
Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
-- |
Polish Committee for UNESCO, |
Work related to the implementation of the Convention is in progress |
|
Portugal |
11 January 2007 |
16 March 2007 |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
-- |
Portuguese Commission for UNESCO |
Work related to the implementation of the Convention is in progress. |
|
Romania |
20 June 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
-- |
National Committee for UNESCO |
-- |
|
Russia |
-- |
-- |
Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Connectivity and Mass Communication |
-- |
-- |
The Ministry of Culture is preparing a ratification of the Convention |
|
San Marino |
-- |
-- |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Political Affairs and Economic Planning and the Ministry of Education and Culture |
-- |
National Committee for UNESCO
|
In 2006 the Government decided to adopt the Convention. Currently, the Ministries concerned are working on the ratification of this Convention., after carrying out an analysis with the competent bodies |
|
Serbia |
29 May 2009 |
2 July 2009 |
Ministry of Culture, Office for Ethnic Minorities |
-- |
-- |
The State Secretary for Legal Affairs made some critical comments prior to ratification. A working group for the implementation of the Convention has been set up. |
|
Slovakia |
12 December 2006 |
12 December 2006 |
Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
-- |
National Coalition for Cultural Diversity (October 2012: Host of the III. Congress of the Int. Federation of Coalitions for Cult. Diversity - IFCCD) |
Creation of a working group to promote the Convention and develop activities regarding its implementation. |
|
Slovenia |
30 November 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministry of Culture |
2007-2009 |
Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO |
-- |
|
Spain |
25 October 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministry of Culture
|
-- |
Coalicià³n Espaà±ola para la Diversidad Cultural
|
One of the first consequences of this ratification has been the creation of a National Commission on Intercultural Dialogue and the application of the recently approved Latin American Cultural Letter. On May 2007, Spain celebrated the "World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development". The National Plan for the Alliance of Civilizations, adopted in 2008 by the Council of Ministers, provides links with the Convention. |
|
Sweden |
9 November 2006 |
18 December 2006 |
Ministry of Education and Research |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Switzerland |
20 March 2008 |
16 July 2008
|
Federal Ministry of the Interior |
-- |
Au cours de 2009, huit groupes d'experts représentant différents secteurs de la vie culturelle (musique, cinéma, arts visuels et sauvegarde du patrimoine, littérature, théà¢tre et danse, éducation, médias, coopération internationale) ont élaboré des propositions pour une politique culturelle suisse de la diversité qui soit susceptible de favoriser la mise en Å“uvre de la Convention de l'UNESCO sur la diversité des expressions culturelles.
Présentation publique du rapport final, Vendredi 16 octobre 2009. Download: http://www.diversiteculturelle.ch/ |
|
|
Ukraine |
20 January 2010 |
10 March 2010 |
Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
-- |
Ukrainian National Committee for UNESCO, Forum of Associations of National Cultures in Ukraine |
Presentation of White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue, Speak-out against Racism Campaign, round tables and seminars |
|
United Kingdom |
July 2007 |
7 December 2007 |
Department of Culture, Media and Sport |
-- |
Extensive consultation process held in 2004 and prior to the ratification
|
Source: Council of Europe/ERICarts, Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe, 2012.
Notes:
* In accordance with its Article 29, the Convention has entered into force on 18 March 2007, three months after the date of deposit of the 30th instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with respect to those States or regional economic integration organisations that have deposited their respective instruments on or before that date. With respect to any other Party, it enters into force three months after the deposit of their instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
Ratification by national governments which are members of the EU will be part of the EU deposition of the relevant instruments to UNESCO HQs.
** Intergovernmental Committee to promote and monitor the objectives of the Convention (set up by UNESCO in 2007)
*** The Convention was rapidly ratified by Canada in November 2005, in part due to the fact that they did not have to go through a Parliamentary process in order to adopt the Convention. A simple decision was taken by the cabinet. However, the Canadian province of Québec, through its National Assembly, did decide to ratify the Convention on 10 November 2005.
****A set of 12 closed questions posed in the context of the study commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science dealt, inter alia, with international trade relations; the "monopoly position of multinationals"; opportunities for cultural initiatives; "intrinsic cultural values" that cannot be expressed in money; implications for cultural policies; "free market" issues; different strategies to safeguard "cultural diversity"; co-existence between public cultural institutions and commercial market forces.
Council of Europe/ERICarts, "Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe, 14th edition", 2013 | ISSN 2222-7334