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V Forum of Ministers of Culture and Officials in Charge of Cultural Policies in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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| Report of the Raporteur |
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Rapporteur's Report of the Fifth Encounter of Ministers
of Culture and Officials Responsible for Cultural Policy
of Latin America and the Caribbean
Caracas, November 16 - 18, 1992
Monday, November 16
Inaugural Session
The Fifth Encounter of Ministers of Culture and Officials
Responsible for Cultural Policy of Latin America and the Caribbean was opened on Monday, November 16, 1992 by the President of the National Council of Culture of Venezuela, Doctor Jóse Antonio Abreu, in the Jóse Félix Ribas Hall of the Teresa Carreño Theatre in the city of Caracas.
The principal addresses were given by Architect Hernán Crespo Toral, Director of the Regional Office of Culture for Latin America and the Caribbean ORCALC, representing the Director General of UNESCO, and by Doctor José Antonio Abreu, who pressied over the ceremony.
The countries attending the session were: Argentina,
Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Grenada, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Peru, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts-Nevis, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The following international agencies were present as
observers: ALADI, CARICOM, CERLALC, SECAB, SELA, UNESCO.
The meeting was begun by approving the order of business and
the following Board was elected by acclamation:
President: Dr. José Antonio Abreu, President of the National Council of Culture of Venezuela.
Vice Presidents: Mr. Earl Morris, Minister of Culture of St. Kitts-Nevis; Mrs. Aida de Fishman, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Costa Rica; Mr. Eduardo Peña Triviño, Minister of Education and Culture of Ecuador; Ambassador Antonio Houaiss, Minister of Culture of Brazil; Mr. Eugenio Llona Movat, Head of the Division of Culture of
the Ministry of Education and Culture of Chile; Dr. Armando Hart Dávalos, Ministro de Cultura de Cuba.
Rapporteurs: Mr. A. J. Nicholson, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Culture
of Jamaica; Dr. Rafael Tovar y de Teresa, President of the National Council for Culture and the Arts of Mexico.
The Pro-Tempore Secretariat submitted for consideration by
the Assembly its Administration Report on the implementation of the Action Plan 1991-1992.
The majority of the delegates expressed their gratitude and
congratulations regarding the job done by the Pro-Tempore
Secretariat, and its Administration Report was given approval.
In the second part of the session, a discussion was begun on
one of the major strategic projects of this Encounter, the
Cultural Information System for Latin America and the Caribbean (SICLaC).
The Minister of Education and Culture of Ecuador emphasized
the importance that SICLaC has in the cultural development of the Region.
Also, Paraguay presented its Plan of Action 92-93 which was
welcomed by the participants and was included within the cultural offert of the Meeting.
Forthwith, the President of the Assembly opened the
discussion on the Cultural Information System for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Tuesday, November 17
The discussion on SICLaC was continued and approval was
given to the Document of Quito, product of the Meeting of
Experts which was held there, along with the addendum of
Brazil making the National Cultural Information System of
Mexico the basic frame of reference for all countries,
adapted to their respective national contexts, as well as the proposal of Cuba. Colombia offered to host a technical
meeting with the specialists from each country, aimed at
solidifying the bases for the pilot project. It was agreed
that this event would be held in Santa Fe de Bogota in
February 1993.
The representative of the Ibero-American Association of
National Libraries (ABINIA) took the floor to present the
project Memory of Ibero-America, which received the total
support of the attending delegations.
Regarding the subject, the representative of Chile, Mr.
Eugenio Llona pointed out the convenience to get further into the matter of the "Memory of Ibero'America" considering of top priority the concern about the ethnic minorities in danger of extinction, due to their language and cultures, citing cases of extreme cultures such as: "fueginos", "onas", "yaganes" and the "altipianos" (high Plateau). The delegate referred to the context of the subject in the "1993 Indigenous International Year" declared by the UNO, and encouraged the Encounter to develop strategies and projects regarding this event.
The representative of the Conference of Ibero-American
Cinema Authorities (CASI), Mr.Ildemaro Torres, proposed the
creation of the Ibero-American Fund for Development of the
Cinema and Audio-Visual Arts, which proposal was acknowledged by the Assembly, with the recommendation that it be discussed at the coming Havana Film Festival, in December 1992. The Representative of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI) alluded to the need for the Partial Agreement for Trade in Cultural Goods and Services to be transformed into a Regional Agreement providing for Free Movement of such goods and services. He expressed his organization's willingness to co-operate in achieving that goal.
Subsequently, PLACART presented a preliminary proposal
referring to the Operational Mechanism for Marketing of
Handicrafts, and requested the Assembly's support for it. In
response, the Venezuelan delegation proposed extending the
coverage of the Partial Agreement to regulate Free Trade in
handicrafts.
A broad presentation was made on the Venezuelan National
Youth Orchestra System, and it was proposed that it be treated as an essential support for non-formal musical education in the region. Consideration was given to the creation of a Latin American and Caribbean mechanism to channel subregional co-operation and technical support for those countries which have not yet instituted such measures.
The proposal received the support of all the delegations,
which expressed their admiration for the excellent work done in the musical field in Venezuela and stated their interest in participating in the project.
In representation of the Caribbean countries, support was
requested for the establishment of a Latin American and Caribbean Center at the University of the West Indies. The center would foster more intense cultural and linguistic exchange, and strengthen the Caribbean countries' participation in future Encounters. Dominican Republic pointed out that for the period 92-93, the Columbus Lighthouse constituted an strategic project.
Dr. Enrique Saravia, the consultant retained to perform the
feasibility study for the creation of the Latin American and
Caribbean Fund for Promotion of Culture and the Arts, took the floor and gave a brief explanation of the document. The study received the support of the different delegations participating in the Assembly, and Colombia suggested holding a meeting in 1993 to analyze said study and to determine the viability of a financing arrangement.
Based on the methodology and development of the Juvenile
Orchestra System it was proposed that this also be applied to two other fields: dance and theatre technicians' training. The Andres Bello Agreement Secretariat and UNESCO shall be consulted in order to apply for resources and technical assistance for its implementation. Within the framework of these discussions, Cuba suggested it be the venue for the Art Teaching Meeting during the first quarter, which was approved by the Plenary Session.
International Intergovernmental agencies which are present
as Observers in the Encounter (UNESCO, SELA, ALADI, CERLALC,
ABINIA, CACI, PLACART, SECAB and CARICOM) expressed their
commitment to continue giving their enthusiastic support to the actions and projects foreseen in the mechanism's plans.
Chile set forth the Procedural Basis for the Encounter of
Ministers, as agreed during the technical meetings of the
ProTempore Joint Secretariat, which were approved by the Plenary Session.
The Cuban Minister recommended that the UNESCO Latin
American Group, jointly with the Pro-Tempore Secretariat, hold a meeting with the UNESCO General Director, with a view to keeping him informed and to obtaining his support for the 1992-93 Action Plan.
On behalf of the Central American countries, Costa Rica
asked that the Eighth Encounter be held in Nicaragua and hat
said country become a member of the Pro-Tempore Secretariat.
This proposal was accepted.
The Minister of Ecuador suggested the Encounter the
creation of the Juan Montalvo's chair, pointing out the
virtues of this outstanding Americanist, which was
acknowledged by unanimity and with the previous support of
the Dominican Republic.
Ecuador offered to be the host of the Encounter on
Lecture and Promotion of Lecture in depressed areas, with the CERLALC and UNESCO's support.
The Minister of Ecuador, Dr. Eduardo Peña asked for a
vote of applause for the Pro-Tempore Secretariat, demand that was welcomed.
The session was then declared closed.
Wednesday, November 18
The Mexican Delegation began by presenting the Regional
Projects related to the heritage area, which were approved. The El Salvador Delegation intervened by presenting all the
Central American projects; this was then complemented by the
presentation made by Guatemala and Costa Rica and Honduras
thereby completing the group of projects pertaining to this
subregion, which were also adopted during this session.
The representative from Puerto Rico then took the floor
to submit to the consideration of the Assembly the Museum of
the Americas project, which was unanimously approved.
The St. Kitts-Nevis Minister of Culture then made an
interesting presentation on the role which the Caribbean has
played in this mechanism and its commitment regarding he
presentation and implementation of projects of great
importance to the Caribbean region. He also referred to the
effort he would soon undertake so that the English-speaking
countries might participate in a more active fashion,
specifically in the programs included in the Action Plan,
with the support of agencies such as UNESCO and CARICOM.
The Barbados Delegation made reference to the importance
of the fact that St. Lucia received the Nobel Prize through
Derek Walcott, being the only Caribbean country which has
received this award twice, thereby emphasizing the
significance of the Caribbean role in the intellectual world. Likewise, he presented the cultural projects of this country to the consideration of the Plenary Session, which were approved.
Additionally, Argentina presented for the consideration
of the Plenary Session its projects, which were unanimously
approved to be included.
There was a special intervention in this session on
behalf of the representative of the Latin American Dance
Centre (CLADA), Adriana Urdaneta, who on behalf of all
Venezuelan artists starred in a dialogue with the Encounter
of Ministers: "Artists and their Commitment to Latin American and Caribbean Integration". This is the first time that this takes place during one of these Encounters.
During this same session, the project entitled "Latin
Caribbean Dance Circuit", was presented with a view to
institutionalizing a circuit specifically dedicated to
Contemporary Dance in all the region. This includes the
development of a co-operation and technical assistance system in this area, and Honduras demanded the support for the execution of this Project.
The Cuban Minister asked for a round of applause for this
innovative idea, where for the first time an artist presented to the consideration of this Encounter, a project in this dimension. This was approved by the Plenary Session.
Colombia presented its proposals, contained in the
Appendix, which were also approved.
Trinidad & Tobago presented a proposal for the learning
of the Spanish language.
Lastly, Chile took the floor to give a special thanks to
Venezuela for the efforts undertaken to carry out this
Encounter and mentioned that it was extending an invitation
to Jose Aparecido de Oliveira, ex Minister of Culture of
Brazil, to the VI Encounter of Ministers and Officials
Responsible for Cultural Policies in Latin America and the
Caribbean, as he was the person who first convened these
Encounters in 1989.
The Ministers asked that 1995 be designated with an
integrationist and solidarity spirit as the Centenary of the
death of Jose Marti and the Bicentennial of the Birth of
Antonio José de Sucre, Marshall of Ayacucho. |
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