Transcript Acting together for Development – building cultural capacity
Acting together for Development – building capacity for creative industries and development Olaf Gerlach-Hansen
Managing Consultant, M.A. CuDIC – Culture, Development & International Cooperation ASEM Seminar: Preserving and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions Sharing Asian and European Experiences, Hanoi, Vietnam, 15-16 December 2008
Content
1. General experiences 2. Example of ethnic minorities 3. Case of inuits in Greenland 4. Concluding ideas
1. General experiences
• My background in Culture and Development • Difference between cultural and economic development – Discourse:and realities • On culture: artists, in cultural institutions etc • On development: NGOs, in business etc • Interdependence of cultural and economic development – Financial realities: cultural industries are worlds fastest growing economic sector – but difficult to attract appropriate investments sensitive to local culture – Societal impact: culture is the root of development – but often not appreciated in practise (ex: ”the other” is more often treated as the problem than the solution – activities to appreciate other cultures are made difficult) – To bring together different agendas, stakeholders and sectors are therefore crucial to enable sustainable creative industries and markets
2. Example of ethnic minorities
• Why: Particularly relevant when talking about development – Anticipated loss of culture and languages is overwhelming (5000 languages) – The poorest of the poor – Related to issues of poverty, education, health etc • Potential if working through – Economically: tourism, experience economy, handicraft/design, appropriate development of traditional livestocks, medicine, energy etc – Politically: regional integration, social harmony etc – Ecology: harmony with environment and bio-diversity
3. Case of inuits in Greenland
• There is a strong potential for cultural industries even among small ethnic minorities • Who are the inuits ?
– Greenland 50.000 + ICC area. • Example of transforming disaster to success – Status of ”colony” until 1954, attempt of ”modernisation” in 50ties, 60ties – Social reaction in 70ties: birth of contemporary cultural movement and creative industries in Greenland. Since then: • Socio-economic development (education, health, economically) • Contemporary music, film, media etc in local language only spoken by 50.000.
• Creative industries experience – Domestic market to be developed before export/tourist potential • Music 100.000 cds sold now domestically – now go int’ • Film, animation,handicraft,, design etc.
• Local media with local content important for cultural development – funded locally – Infrastructual development needed to enable developmentl • Appropriate tourism and business developmen. Transport, communication., edu … • Network and product development, branding etc • Ex: International school for music, film and media
4. Ideas
• Ethnic Minorities – Programs where cultural and socio-economic capacity development efforts are integrated – EU - ASEM efforts in this area could spearhead international visibility for convention, with new types of stakeholder cooperation re. capacity building, new types of cultural exchanges etc.
• In general: Innovation – New institutions and working modalities • More flexibility to bringing different stakeholders and agendas together • Development of assesment and evaluation methods – Financial instruments • Cultural industries can be developed as a target in itself, as well as an instrument in other development efforts – the latter is particular relevant in most marginal and impoverished areas • Diversification of financial instruments very important