Timelines

April 1998 Stockholm - UNESCO holds the Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies for Development. Its declaration raises concerns about threats to cultural diversity. Its Action Plan calls for cultural goods and services to be differentiated from other forms of merchandise, and recommends the creation of international networks of artists and arts organizations to promote cultural diversity. Action Plan June 1998 Ottawa - Canada’s minister of Heritage, Sheila Copps, follows up on the momentum of the Stockholm meeting by calling together ministers of culture in Ottawa, and founds the International Network for Cultural Policy. International Network for Cultural Policy. The Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) hosts a parallel, non-governmental meeting of cultural representatives from more than 30 countries. The At Home in the World conference concludes that each nation state and government must have the ability, unfettered by international trade agreements, to take measures and adopt policies that maintain and enhance its cultures. The Swedish group KLYS (Swedish Joint Committee of Literary and Artistic Professionals) and the CCA begin to discuss ways of creating an international network to promote cultural diversity. At Home in the World February 1999 Ottawa - The Canadian Conference of the Arts and the Swedish Joint Committee of Literary and Artistic Professionals (KLYS) put together an advisory committee to build an international network for cultural diversity. The governmental International Network for Cultural Policy launches its web site, www.pch.gc.ca/network-reseau, built and maintained by the Department of Canadian Heritage. International Network for Cultural Policy Canada’s Cultural Industries Sectoral Advisory Group in International Trade (SAGIT) recommends that Canada pursue the creation of a new international instrument to preserve the ability of countries to support their cultures. The full text of the recommendation is available on-line Canadian Culture in a Global World. August, 1999 Ottawa - Members of the emerging network’s international advisory committee meet in Ottawa, agree on a set of principles for the international network, and name it the.World Coalition for Cultural Diversity (WCCD) Principles August 1999 Mexico City - A World Coalition for Cultural Diversity delegation flies to Mexico city to meet with representatives of Mexican cultural non-governmental organizations. They discover common concerns, particularly with Mexican film-makers, who have seen production drop from 40 films a year to a present low of two since the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement. September, 1999 Oaxaca - The second meeting of the International Network for Cultural Policy in Oaxaca, Mexico, is attended by 17 Ministers of culture and their representatives. Although no specific joint initiatives are launched, issues related to cultural diversity are agreed on, and a working group is formed which will study these issues further in the coming year. September 1999 Ottawa -The CCA sends out a call to action nationally and internationally, asking cultural groups to join the World Coalition for Cultural Diversity. October 1999 Stockholm - Representatives of the WCCD meet with representatives of Scandinavian countries invited by the CCA’s Swedish counterpart KLYS, and charge the CCA with the development of a website to connect the international members of the network. Toronto - Representatives of the WCCD participate in meetings organized by the Hemispheric Social Alliance (HSA), parallel to the negotiations for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Concerns about threats to cultural diversity are added to the document presented by the HSA to the Ministers of the Americas at the end of their conference, and culture is taken up as a major theme by the organizers of the next meeting of the HSA, parallel to the Summit of the FTAA in April 2001. November 1999 Ottawa - The CCA’s International Advisory Committee changes the name of the network to International Network for Cultural Diversity, to better reflect the nature of the project and avoid confusion with another Canadian group working on similar issues. The emerging Coalition for Cultural Diversity brought together cultural industry and creator representatives in September, and announced its intention to pursue national and international work on this issue. Seattle - Five representatives of the International Network for Cultural Diversity participate in the official World Trade Organization meetings, and in non-governmental counter-meetings such as the Teach-In of the International Forum on Globalization. Activities. January, 2000 Toronto - Garry Neil, a leading authority on international trade and culture and respected strategist in the cultural field, joins the network as its coordinator. Liss Jeffrey, a leading authority on new media and international trade, brings her analysis and the talents of her byDesign eLab to the network. March, 2000 Ottawa - the Canadian Department of Heritage announces the dates chosen by their Greek counterpart for the next meeting of the International Network for Cultural Policy: September 28 and 29, Greece. The International Network for Cultural Diversity sets the date of its founding conference for September 24-26. May, 2000 Ottawa The proposed agenda for the Conference in Greece is disseminated to all members of the network for comment.