Institute for International Relations

International Forum

Discussion Series on Cultural Diversity
Zagreb, Croatia, 22 January - 28 May 2003

The French Institute in Zagreb and the Culturelink Network/IMO are coorganizing a Discussion Series on Cultural Diversity, to be held between 22 January 2003 and 28 May 2003 in Zagreb, Croatia, with the aim of encouraging the Croatian public, its artists and professionals in the field of culture to discuss issues concerning cultural and media diversity and to consider the future of cultural policies, in order to counteract the negative trends latest research results have been warning about.

Artists worldwide are loosing the space for their activities in social environments oversupplied with imported, entirely commercial, events and programmes. Products of the entertainment industry are distributed by a handful of multinational companies which dominate the market, and international organizations such as the WTO can make things worse by gradually restricting the rights of countries to encourage artistic production and support the work of cultural institutions through traditional cultural policy mechanisms.

At the same time, a global movement is taking place, similar to the environmental protection movement. Ministers of culture, artists, non-governmental organizations, professional artistic organizations and researchers are creating networks and promoting a new form of international solidarity, aiming to jointly find a solution to counteract the negative trends and make possible a different type of exchange in order to secure a promotion of cultural diversity within as well as between individual countries.

As part of this event, four discussions will be held, based on lectures by Croatian and international experts such as Catherine Lalumiere, Member of the European Parliament and former Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Yvon Thiec, Secretary General of Eurocinema and Member of INCD Steering Committee, and Garry Neil, Coordinator of the International Network for Cultural Diversity (INCD).

Programme:

• 22 January 2003Globalization, Trade Liberalization, Cultural Policies and Cultural Diversity - Should Artists be Worried?
  Nina Obuljen, IMO/Culturelink, Member of INCD Steering Committee
  Ivica Šimić, Member of ASSITEJ Executive Council
• 26 February 2003
  Media and Cultural Diversity - Present Status and Future Development of Cultural Industries
  Dr. Zrinjka Peruško Čulek, IMO, Member of the Council of Europe Expert Group on Media Diversity
  Robert Stéphane, Chairman, European Bureau for Cinema and Television
• 19 March 2003
  The Role of the EU in the Promotion of Cultural and Media Diversity
  Catherine Lalumière, Representative of the European Parliament former Secretary General of the Council of Europe
  Claude Veron, Director of the French Institute in Zagreb
  Nada Švob-Đokić, Assistant Minister of Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia
• 28 May 2003
  Do We Need a Convention on Cultural Diversity?
  Garry Neil, INCD Coordinator
  Vjeran Katunarić, professor of sociology at the University of Zagreb

For further information, please contact: Nina Obuljen, Culturelink/IMO, Lj.F. Vukotinovića 2, P.O. Box 303, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; tel. +385-1-4826522; fax: +385-1-4828361; e-mail: nina@irmo.hr