World Social
Forum 2002
Report
on the conferences, seminars and workshops of the cultural
area
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Feb 1 to 4
by: Rafael Segovia
The breadth
of events at the World Social Forum (WSF) was as diverse as one can expect from
such a major international forum, gathering some 14,000 NGOs from around the
world. Each had the option of proposing or creating a workshop or seminar while
conferences had to be supported or proposed by a team of at least 3
organizations. Given the great number of thematic issues, culture seemed to be
poorly represented: only 4 conferences out of 27, 8 seminars out of 31, and
only one special seminar among 31. Yet a recurrent statement heard in many
different debates was that culture should be thought of as the locomotive of
the train, and not as the missing wagon, since it exists as the vehicle for
information, human rights and education, which are the primary agents of
development.
The more
debated issue was that of cultural diversity, since, from the perspective of developing
countries, their weakest point as they face globalisation is the retention of
cultural identity as it is confronted by international commerce. This subject
was accompanied by those of national and indigenous languages, traditional life
and its cultural expression, the right of access to information and the rights
of a people or “eco-cultural area” to produce and consume its own cultural
goods and services.
Participation of INCD members in the WSF events
The INCD Steering Committee sent a delegation of
three to the WSF: Lucianna Castellina, President of Italia Cinema; James Early,
Director of Cultural Heritage Policy at the Smithsonian Institution in
Washington; and, myself, Rafael Segovia, General Coordinator of the Civic
Council for Culture and the Arts of Morelos, Mexico. It was impossible not to
feel short of time yet we tried to attend as many events as possible. James
Early attended primarily the seminars of the Special Afro-Brasilian Forum,
while Lucianna and I attended the Seminar on Cultural Diversity and Linguistic
Rights organised by ATTAC-France in an external facility for two days. Lucianna
went on to participate in the World Audiovisual Forum and I remained at the
Seminar on Cultural Diversity during the writing of the declarative document
which resulted from the conference.
There were a few other conferences and seminars we
managed to be present at, but it was useful to concentrate on the seminar that
gathered the most interesting participants in the cultural field and,
furthermore, to be able to speak in front of such a crucial audience. Just to
mention a few key figures, this audience included the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Quebec; five or six high-ranked officials from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of France, among them the director of Cultural Policies; the
director of Cultural Affairs of Pakistan; the director of Le Monde
Diplomatique and many of its staff as well as many important cultural
agents and representatives of large
networks.
Here are
some of the panels I attended, and descriptions of additional seminars that
examined culture and cultural diversity:
Feb
1:
1. Special Conference Africa/Brasil
introducers: Afro-Brazilian comittee of the WSF,
African Social Forum of Senegal (Taoufik Ben Abdallah)
facilitation: / Jacques d’Adesky Center for the Studies of the
Americas, Belgium.
panellists: Taoufik Bem Abdallah, Aminata
Traore, Benedita da Silva, Tudley Tomson.
In general terms, the conference was
centered on the difficult situation of African countries, but some other
general ideas expressed there are worth a special mention. These proposals have
been under discussion for some time:
1) the proposal that the external
debt of the poorest countries should be cancelled (Jubilee 2000); 2) the claim
for an indemnity paid by the colonialist countries to their ancient colonies,
to compensate for the exploitation of their territories and for centuries of
slavery. Furthermore, there should be a moral restitution of some kind, which
would deal with issues of cultural and personal self-worth.
2. Conference on International Trade
Even though this
conference dealt more broadly with general economic problems, some speakers
present were very knowledgeable about issues relating to cultural diversity:
Bernard Cassen , one of the organizers of the seminar on cultural diversity,
Dot Keet, a trade and culture specialist from South Africa, and Héctor de la
Fuente, a central figure of social movements against globalization in Mexico.
Part of the conference
dealt with the problem of cultural diversity, more specifically with the
problem of intellectual property of traditional source and of the piracy
exerted by corporations in this field. Another interesting point was the
discussion of the intellectual rights of the audience and of the cultural
producers.
A. Seminar: International Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (Attac – France)
This seminar was organized
in six different rounds, facilitated by different people, among whom I will
mention:
Marc Le Glattin (Attac) and Ben Berardi (Director of
Casa de la Cultura Mario Quintana), who were the operational agents of the
seminar; Bernard Cassen, (Director of Le Monde Diplomatique), Luciana
Castellina, from the INCD, Bruno Delaye, from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of France, and José Vidal Beneto (Spain), a former
official of the European Council.
The objectives of the
seminar were coherent with the general concerns of the INCD, so I decided to
follow from within the development of the panels, and participate in the
writing of the declaratory document that would convey the consensus on the
debates.
1.
The first session
was dedicated to linguistic diversity. The discussions turned around the issues
of major linguistic regions and the panel proposed to establish a variety of
poles of influence through the promotion of a few alternate languages, thus
creating a barrier against English hegemony. Some of us stated there is a
danger in adopting such a position: to forget the issue of indigenous and
regional languages, which would then be once more in the position of colonized
languages.
2.
The
second part of the seminar dealt with the field of audiovisual production and
the “cultural exception”. Nowadays, the pressure exerted on the production and
distribution of audiovisual goods by commercial organizations such as the WTO
is leading to an open fight for control of the most important market of
cultural goods and services (140,000 M$) which is effectively in the hands of
American producers (80,000 M$). Another alarming statistic is that Hollywood
controls 80% to 95% of the screen time of most countries.
The team from
the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the idea that there should be a
legal binding “cultural exception” in all commercial treaties. This has been
France’s strategy to this point. The INCD, however, is supporting the creation
of a treaty to protect cultural diversity – this would protect culture from the
infringements of trade agreements altogether. Nevertheless, some participants
remarked that other aspects of cultural diversity shouldn’t be left out of
these protective measures. After a good deal of discussion, we came to the
point of imagining two platforms of protective measures, definitions and
principles: one dealing with traditional life and linguistics, another one
dealing with the production of cultural goods and services. Two key points
exist in the European strategy put forth by “Television sans Frontières”: to
establish TV and cinema quotas and to stabilize the European control of book
pricing.
3.
The third session was
centered on the importance of networks and civic organizations in the cultural
field, and as a result, there was a proposal to create an international network
of cultural agents. In
particular, two sets of speakers provided very useful information about their
networks and the organizational needs for successful development and
interaction within diverse communities: Sabine Schebrak (Austria) y Xavier
Pérez (Spain) presented the cultural network Trans Europ Halles, which was born
out of squatters’ initiatives to develop cultural centers in threatened
buildings and facilities, like Brussels’ central market. Debora Martin, from
the Union of actors and technicians of the entertainment industry of Sao Paulo
(SATED) talked about the success the union has had in rallying workers from the
different unions of Brazil through cultural and artistic activities. I spoke
here as a representative of the Council for Culture and the Arts of Morelos
(CCCAM), and explained the initiatives being carried on in Mexico by NGOs
dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage and the fostering of new
civic spaces for culture and creativity.
4.
The
fourth session was dedicated to the writing of a document which would be read
the following evening during a special session at the WSF headquarters in the
Catholic University of Porto Alegre. Four commissions were created to work on
the specific topics in the document. I collaborated by providing the
commissions with some of the INCD’s key documents, such as the “Road Map” and
“Questions and Answers” as well as a description of the INCP and its members.
Feb 4:
B. Seminar: Culture and Globalization.
The fourth morning and fifth session of the seminar was dedicated to a
general discussion on the possibility of a new international instrument for the
protection of cultural diversity. During the brainstorming session, among other
subjects, these were the most relevant:
·
The abuse of
intellectual property rights, where existing laws make it possible for
individuals or corporations to “steal” another individual’s copyright.
·
The possibility
in extreme cases of expropriating the cultural industries, as a radical measure
against oligopolies; ie. for a government to intervene in the market in the
case of convergence of cultural industries in order to ensure pluralism and
diversity.
·
Freedom of access
to cyberspace; the problem of diverse languages on the Internet; the draft
document for an international convention on the use of others languages than
English, not only in the contents of the internet, but in the codifying
languages and other tools passed by the European Union was strongly opposed by
the American lobbies in the name of free circulation of information. The
delicate task and inherent problems of defining “culture”.
·
The languages of
the world are considered humanity’s heritage; the necessity to ensure the
equality of all languages.
·
The inclusion of
previous treaties and their own definitions in the proposed new instrument.
C. Seminar’s Special session: “Culture and Globalization”
As a conclusion to the
seminar’s debate, a declaratory document on cultural and linguistic diversity
was read to the general audience. When the network which resulted from this
work group starts operating, the declaration will be widely distributed and
will also be available on the WSF Web site
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/.
3. World Audiovisual Forum
Panelists: Gillo
Pontecorvo (Italy) – Fernando Solanas (Argentina), Robert Guediguian (France),
Jorge Sánchez (Mexico), Citto Maselli (Italy), Nelson Pereira dos Santos,
Samuel Guimaraes, Arnaldo Carrillo, Gabriel Priolli, Roberto Farias (Brazil),
Omar Gonzalez (Cuba), Franco Giraldi, Pasquale Scimeca, Francesca Comencini
(Italy), Cheik Oumar Sissoko (Mali), Anémone, Jean Druon (France), etc.
First session:
Audiovisual and Society
Second session:
Audiovisual – cultural diversity and hegemony
Even though I could only
attend a part of the second session of this Forum, I think it is worth
mentioning, since the audiovisual sector is one of the most urgent issues on
the agenda of cultural diversity. Lucianna Castellina attended the forum, and
will have further information for those who to know more about it – for more
information, please contact incd@ccarts.ca.
General
conclusions:
It was very important, from
my point of view, that the INCD had a chance to participate in the WSF, even if
just as an observer. I believe this is an adequate forum to disseminate our
objectives and our work, and we should therefore participate more fully in the
WSF III, building seminars and workshops and taking part in the major
conferences on culture and diversity.
As for the more particular
objective of building a Latin American Network for Cultural Diversity, my
presence at the WSF was really enriching, since I met people from key
organizations from Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Cuba, who
could be invaluable resources for building the network.
Announcements
Mexico, through the
coordination of the Civic Council for Culture and the Arts of Morelos and the
INCD, will hold the first Mexican Forum for Cultural Diversity.
Topics:
The Convention on Cultural
Diversity
Culture and Globalization:
Local and regional concerns
Cuernavaca, Morelos
July 5-7, 2002
For information, please
contact:
incd@ccarts.ca or rsegovia1@yahoo.com.mx
A couple of exchange
projects between Brazil and Mexico, even though not directly related to the
Cultural Diversity objectives, will nevertheless enrich and broaden the
possibilities of the Latin American Network. The projects consist of a cultural
exchange festival, held in Cuernavaca and Sao Paulo twice a year. For more
information, please contact: (JCB- info à venir)
Events/Conferences
Korean National Commission for UNESCO
A Dialogue among Civilizations: Democracy and East Asian Traditions
Seoul, South Korea
11-13 June 2002.
The conference is intended to enrich the idea of democracy through both an
inter-cultural dialogue and a debate between liberal and communitarian theories
of democracy. For further details, contact the secretary-general of the
Commission, Yersu Kim, by email: hmlim@unesco.or.kr or fax: 82-2-7557477.
Korean National Commission for UNESCO
A Dialogue among Civilizations: Democracy and East Asian Traditions
Seoul, South Korea
11-13 June 2002.
The conference is intended to enrich the idea of democracy through both an
inter-cultural dialogue and a debate between liberal and communitarian theories
of democracy. For further details, contact the secretary-general of the
Commission, Yersu Kim, by email: hmlim@unesco.or.kr or fax: 82-2-7557477.
The Center for Multicultural Education at the University of Washington
Diversity and Citizenship in Multicultural Nation States
The Rockefeller Foundation's Study and Conference Center
Bellagio, Italy
17-21 June 2002.
The conference will include social scientists
and educational researchers from 11 countries, to explore how different
countries deal with issues of unity
and diversity in their citizenship education.
For more information, contact the conference
organizer, Prof. James Banks, Director, Center for Multicultural Education,
University of Washington, at jbanks@u.washington.edu, or visit the Center's
website at:
http://depts.washington.edu/centerme/home.htm
Europaforum
Housing Cultures: Convergence and Diversity
July 1 - 5
Vienna, Austria
e-mail: enhr2002@europaforum.or.at
The International Cultural Research Network (ICRN)
Brasilia
2002: Exploring Cultural Perspectives
Brasilia Catholic University
July 2-6, 2002.
The aim is to identify from diverse cultural and inter-disciplinary perspectives the unifying effects of the following themes; education, globalization, children and youth, history and science and media and technology.
For more information, email: icrn@telusplanet.net, or
contact the International
Cultural Research Network, 551 Education South, University of Alberta,
Edmonton, T6G2G5, Canada. Or visit the ICRN website at:
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/icrn/brazil.html
2002 IAMRC conference
Intercultural Communication
July 21 – 26
Barcelona, Spain
Information: International Association for Media and Communication Research
e-mail: gwhannel@britishlibrary.net
The seventh annual Metropolis conference
Togetherness in Difference: Citizenship and Belonging
Sept. 9-12 2002
Oslo Norway
Sub-themes include "Globalization and the Politics of Migration", "Empowerment and the Effectiveness of Citizenship", "Urban Textures", and "Gender in Migration".
For more information, check the conference website at:
http://international.metropolis.net/frameset_e.html
Or contact the conference organizers by email at:
oslo2002@metropolis.net
The 12th Nordic Migration Conference
Cultural Diversity and Integration
Helsinki, Finland
10-12 October 2002
Further information can be found on the conference website at:
http://sockom.helsinki.fi/ceren/eng/konferen.html
The Maastricht Center for Transatlantic Studies
Citizens, Nations, and Cultures: Transatlantic Perspectives
Maastricht, the Netherlands
16-19 October 2002
Keynote speakers include Sabine Broek, Jose
Casanova, and John Keane. This
conference will explore what the 'transatlantic' means for the people of
Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
For more information, including how to submit a paper
proposal, go to the conference website at: http://www.cmsu.edu/mcts/ Or contact Neil
Wynn, School of Humanities and
Social Sciences, University of Glamorgan, at: nawynn@glam.ac.uk