Santorini Statement
Santorini, 27-29 September 2000
Hellas, Armenia, Austria, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Cuba,
France, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Mexico, Norway, Russia,
Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine.
On 27-29 September 2000, the Ministers of the International Network
on Cultural Policy (INCP), observers from international organizations,
and other countries met in Santorini where they expressed their
commitment to continue promoting cultural diversity. This year`s
informal policy discussions, hosted by the Hellenic Republic and
chaired by the Honorable Theodoros Pangalos, Minister of Culture,
focussed on the challenges for cultural policy in the 21st century,
particularly in the context of globalization.
The meeting revolved around three roundtables:
Cultural Heritage – A Dynamic Factor in Cultural Continuation:
Ministers explored the role of tangible and intangible heritage.
Discussions addressed the challenges and opportunities of protecting
and promoting heritage for social and economic development, including
the potential offered by cultural tourism.
Guiding Parameters in Globalization - Cultural Diversity
and Identity: Ministers examined the growing importance of cultural
diversity and identity in an increasingly globalized world. Discussions
explored the proposal for an international instrument to promote
cultural diversity.
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Implications for National Action: Ministers discussed the
role of governments in the protection, promotion and enhancement
of cultural diversity, identity and heritage. Discussions examined
national cultural policies and policy tools in a global economy.
The advancement of communications technologies, along with the
abundance of information in today’s knowledge-based society,
is creating a new environment for culture. While offering vast new
opportunities for creativity and development, new trends - particularly
globalization - are challenging our notions of identity and sovereignty.
The Network Ministers concluded that:
- the preservation of cultural heritage and its creative use
in social and economic development are important components of
sustainable human development and should be harnessed to improve
people's quality of life, particularly for disadvantaged groups,
and to engage youth through education;
- cultural diversity is integral to social cohesion, human development,
peaceful coexistence, and the prosperity of societies;
- governments should promote an environment that nurtures diverse
cultural expressions while participating fully in the global economy.
Ministers agreed to launch a Working Group on Cultural Heritage
that will examine different ways that tangible and intangible heritage
(traditional, contemporary, and industrial) could better serve economic
and social development. Skills development and capacity-building
were identified as urgent priorities. The Working Group will be
chaired by Mexico.
Ministers also agreed to launch a working group to examine the
new challenges facing broadcasting in a global context. The Working
Group will be chaired by Italy.
Ministers welcomed the discussion paper “International Responses
to the Challenges Facing Cultural Diversity” by the Working
Group on Cultural Diversity and Globalization. The Working Group
identified an international instrument on cultural diversity as
a focal point for considering new ways to promote diversity of cultural
expression and identity. This approach would provide an effective
tool that embodies
shared attitudes on cultural diversity and expands on previous international
cultural commitments. The Network Ministers charged the Working
Group to continue it work by elaborating on the framework and scope
of a cultural diversity instrument for their 2001 Annual Meeting.
As a first step, the Network endorsed the Working Group’s illustrative
list of principles as an effective starting point for building consensus
on a shared vision for the instrument. (See attached annex for the
list)
Ministers also acknowledged the importance of linking domestic
cultural policy development to global initiatives. In a globalizing
world, domestic cultural policies should be developed through partnerships
between governments and civil society (including the private sector
and non- governmental organizations).
Ministers welcomed the parallel conference of Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) (September 24th to 26th) which launched a new
NGO International Network for Cultural Diversity (INCD). In its
statement presented to Network Ministers, the NGOs urged that governments
make no international commitments which would compromise cultural
policy objectives at home, and that they pursue an
international cultural diversity instrument. They further suggested
that future dialogue between the Network and the INCD will contribute
to effective global policies and approaches to promote cultural
diversity.
The Ministers welcomed Senegal as a new member of the Ministerial
Contact Group. The third annual meeting of Network Ministers closed
with a commitment to further discussion at the next meeting of Ministers
in Lucerne, Switzerland in 2001. A working session of the Network
on the issue of cultural diversity and governance will also take
place in Switzerland in early 2001. South Africa will host the meeting
in 2002. Croatia, Armenia, and Austria each offered to host future
annual meetings.
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ANNEX
Illustrative List of Cultural Diversity Principles
The Working Group on Cultural Diversity and Globalization produced
a discussion paper entitled “International Responses to the
Challenges Facing Cultural Diversity”. This report proposed
an illustrative set of ten cultural principles drawn from existing
instruments and based on the Working Group study, “Catalogue
of International Principles Pertaining to Culture”. The Network
agrees that an
international instrument on cultural diversity is a worthwhile undertaking,
and this illustrative list of principles provides an effective starting
point for building consensus on the instrument’s vision and
objectives.
- The fundamental importance of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and in particular Article 27 - “Everyone has
the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community,
to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its
benefits”.
- The preservation of cultural heritage is a crucial component
of identity and self- understanding that links a community to
its past.
- Art plays an essential role in the life and development of
the individual and society States must protect, defend, and assist
their artists and artistic freedom.
- Linguistic and ethno-cultural diversity helps maintain and
develop national and international cultural richness and traditions
and reflects a commitment to common values and social cohesion.
- Authors and rights holders have the right to the protection
of their moral and material interests regarding creation.
- Cultural goods and services should be fully recognized and
treated as being not like other forms of merchandise.(1)
- Social and cultural fulfillment of the individual is a key
element of human development and must be integral to sustainable
development approaches.
- Cultural exchange and cooperation are necessary to build wider
cultural allegiances in an increasingly globalized world and are
important tools in building human security.
- Cultural diversity includes an openness to a wide range of
cultural influences and recognizes the importance the production
and distribution of local content.
- Governments have a role to play in preserving and promoting
cultural diversity and respect for
cultural diversity is an important element of developing good
governance.
1 Stockholm Action Plan, 1998, Objective 3.
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