Report on U40 Africa Network meeting, Pretoria 22 Sept

The “U40 World Forum” (12-14 June 2009) brought together 50 young professionals (under-40s) from all over the world to discuss proposals on how to implement the UNESCO Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005).

On the occasion of the Second Conference of Parties to the UNESCO Convention for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (Paris, 15-18 June 2009), the German Commission for UNESCO with the cooperation with the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (FICDC), organized the “U40 World Forum” (12-14 June 2009). The forum brought together 50 young professionals (Under 40 years) from all over the world to discuss proposals on how to implement the Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Following this workshop and with the support of the Department of Arts and Culture, South Africa, the eight (08) representatives of African countries at the “U40 World Forum” had the opportunity to have a round-table to evaluate their participation and made concrete the idea of creating an U40 African chapter - “U40 Africa”.The first meeting of the network was held in Pretoria, South Africa, on 22 September 2009, hosted by the Department of Arts and Culture of South Africa as a side event to the 4th World Summit on Arts and Culture, 22 – 25 September 2009. Representatives were drawn from the SADC country to create an interim committee that would work on creating an Africa wide U40 network. 

The first meeting formalised the proposals for the creation of U40-Africa Forum and brainstomed on the vision, mission and future activies of the network. The vision of the network is ’Making the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions a tangible tool for youth empowerment in the cultural sector’. The Forum seeks to create public awareness on the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, sensitize civil society through concrete actions for the benefits of Cultural Diversity, support the actions of the national coalitions for cultural diversity, rapprochement between coalitions of Cultural Diversity and UNESCO National Commissions in Africa, advocate for the wider ratification of the 2005 Convention in the Continent and contribute youth voices to global debates on arts and culture. Some of the activities will include creating a website for U40-Africa Forum and other online forums, Register the U40-Africa Forum as an international NGO at UNESCO, Create a U40-Africa Forum presence in national and international conferences on arts and culture,Exchange experiences on issues related to cultural diversity through workshops and seminars and creating U40-Africa Regional chapters by 2010.

For futher information contact Jesmael Mataga, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Ammar Kessab, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or Clen Noah, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

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