Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions was adopted at the 33rd UNESCO General Conference on 20 October 2005 in Paris and entered into force on 18 March 2007. " The Convention provides for a legally binding basis for the right of all States to an independent cultural policy. " On the basis of the Convention, each State has the right to carry out measures to protect the diversity of cultural expressions, especially if they seem at risk.

Under cultural diversity, UNESCO understands the diverse expressions of the cultures of groups and societies. These expressions are passed on, both within and between societies. Cultural diversity is also reflected in the various forms of artistic creativity and the production, dissemination, distribution and use of cultural expressions.

History

  • On 21 May 2001, the " World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development" was announced.
  • At the 32nd General Conference ( September 29 to October 17, 2003), the formulation of the objectives and principles of the Convention began.
  • On 20 October 2005, the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions was adopted.
  • On 18 March 2007, the Convention entered into force.
  • In December 2009 the German UNESCO Commission published the White Paper "Cultural diversity fashion", which contains recommendations for action from civil society on the implementation of the UNESCO Convention in and through Germany.
  • To-date ( January 31, 2014 ) 133 member states and the European Union have ratified the Convention.

Objectives of the Convention

The Convention includes the following objectives:

  • Unrestricted cultural self-determination and freedom of choice on the basis of human rights (preamble)
  • Recognition of the " dual nature " of cultural goods and services as a commodity, but also as a carrier of identities and meanings (Article 1)
  • The right of every State to its own cultural policies (Article 6)
  • Participation of civil society in the implementation process (Article 11)
  • International cooperation ( cooperation, co-productions, as well as preferential treatment for developing countries ) (Article 6,8,12,16,17 )
  • Integration of culture in sustainable development (Article 13)
  • Information exchange, inter alia, through the designation of national focal points (Articles 9, 28)
  • Equality of the Convention to other international agreements (Article 20, 21)

" Cultural compatibility " for the preservation of cultural diversity

Under the slogan " cultural compatibility " is traditionally live cultures propagated in the context of the Convention respectful dealings with members. This affects tourism, journalism, ethnological field work, health care, development policy or other intercultural areas where contact with such communities exist. The intention is based on the assumption that modern Western culture can act dominant on many other cultures. Seemingly innocuous behaviors can therefore already lead to a hardly correctable cultural change with negative consequences for those affected.

Examples

Western clothing and intrusive photographs of topless girls in by tourists or the spreading of Christian " standards of decency " by missionaries can generate a shame that did not exist before. This promotes the desire for Western-style clothing. But money is needed. Earn money may necessitate a departure from the traditional subsistence economy and therefore an increased use of nature. The same consequences of the direct introduction of money by visitors, distribute alms clueless.

Tourists invade with ground buses in more remote areas before, regardless of the wild game or the privacy of the locals. The desire for exotic dwellings is great, but inside, they provide the familiar Western comforts. Many tourists have to give a romanticized idea of ​​the life of the " savages" that certain rituals and objects the preference, while others are ostracized or condemned. All this leads quickly to changing habits, needs and values ​​of the indigenous people, but very often lead to a cultural dislocation with a number of negative consequences.

Implementation

Currently, cultural compatibility is the absence of specific concepts of practical implementation, however, hardly more than a vocabulary. An example that illustrates the problem: While it is common in some countries, " natives " arrest that come in traditional presentation in the cities, it is hardly conceivable to require the tourist to adapt to the clothing habits of the indigenous people.

Criticism

Some scientists are the efforts to kultuverträglichem action skeptical. They fear a patronizing and artificially induced steering or disability of the dynamics of the "natural" change in culture, each culture is subject anyway. It is in the theme to a classic dilemma: either one leaves the victims responding to Western contacts - at the risk that the foreign culture of global culture is more similar and thus diversity is lost. Or one directs the contacts in the spirit of the UNESCO Convention - affected thereby but may self-determination, which has every ethnicity, or should have.

German Commission for UNESCO Ratification Ethnic group
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