ROUND TABLES

Theme 3 - Cultural Policy and the Changing Role of Government: Opportunity for Exchange and Dialogue

Summary of Comments

The media sector, with a powerful market and economic actors, is at the center of globalization. The role of public service broadcast is more crucial than ever. All countries have something in common: they all are under the influence of media giants.

• We should all closely follow the technological advancements, in order to be able to shape the conditions for maintaining diversity and pluralism. Therefore it is important to support public service broadcasting. It is necessary to counter media concentration. Technological advancements may facilitate distribution in the future, but political measures must be taken along the way.
  Marita Ulvskog, Sweden
  
  
• We need to recognize culture as a development force of society. Investment in culture is investment in development. In the field of political thinking it is highly unlikely to find two notions as harmonized as culture and democracy: without culture there is no democracy and there is no culture without democracy.
  Antun Vujic, Croatia
  
  
• It is important to take into consideration minority cultures. To build capacity, it is important to give the tools to the local people.
  Sheila Copps, Canada
  
  
• Mexico has an integral vision of the heritage, which should include not only the intangible heritage but also, symbolic, ritual, and linguistic expressions, customs, celebrations, lifestyles, and technical knowledge, all of which denote a certain continuity overtime.
  Jaime Nualart, Mexico
  
  
• The heritage that has been protected in our countries is the heritage of the hegemonic social groups. The heritage of indigenous peoples or the one of Afro-Colombian communities have been excluded.We should have a heritage that takes into account cultural diversity and multiculturality. There is a necessity to modernize and adequate the institutions to the progress in the concept of heritage, which has been through substantial changes, and is now broader, more open to new universes; whereas the majority of institutions are still centered on the tangible heritage.
  Luis Armando Soto, Colombia
  
  
• Many developing countries are rich in ancient sites, but these sites cannot be restored or protected adequately because of lack of resources. It would be of great benefit for Africa if special attention could be paid to ancient sites that cannot be maintained by governments.
  Brigitte Mabandla, South Africa
  
  

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