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VII Forum of Ministers of Culture and Officials in Charge of Cultural Policies in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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| Final Declaration |
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“Let culture be the rhythm of our development”
The VII Meeting of the Ministers of Culture and Officers-in Charge of Cultural Policies of Latin America and the Caribbean, held in the city of Port-of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, from November 21-23, 1994, was of historic significance, as the first convened in the Anglophone Caribbean.
This Meeting represented a further stage in the regional integration process because of the participation of delegations from the fourteen (14) English-speaking countries in addition to the Latin American delegations, which traditionally participate in the Forum.
While the Declarations of Brasilia, Mar del Plata, Mexico, Havana, Caracas and La Serena Chile, have very properly stressed the challenges of unity and integration in the development of the peoples of the region, this VII Meeting is significant in that it was able to point towards major achievements in our quest towards making regional integration a reality.
Its significance lay also in the fact that it was held in Port-of Spain, the capital of an island community, which mirrors the multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-linguistic character of the wider Latin American and Caribbean peoples. The Port-of Spain Meeting must also be seen against the background of the interaction of civilizations, which historically has been part of the life experiences of the peoples of this region- the Amerindian, the African, the Asian and the European. Far from being a source of divisiveness, this historical experience has instead given us the basis, from which we can move towards identifying and embracing our commonalities and which can energize our efforts towards the further integration of the peoples of the region.
The Meeting reaffirmed the importance of language as a major mechanism for the transmission of culture and breaking down of barriers, which still exist among the countries involved in the particular regional integration of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Delegates unanimously agreed to put in places constructive procedures for meeting this challenge.
This Meeting was a turning point in many ways – it provided a forum for open discussion between the English- speaking and the Spanish/Portuguese speaking countries. Particular emphasis was placed on the significant contribution which each member of the forum, small as well as large can play. Among the vital issues addressed, were the various methods of financing cultural projects, the facilitating of wider communication, within the region, and the strengthening of key cultural institutions. SICLAC and its use of modern communication technology is of pivotal importance in enabling member countries of the region to develop and disseminate information on the full range of their cultural resources.
The Meeting resoundingly reaffirmed the control role of culture in development and the importance of ensuring equitable access to cultural goods and services by all segments of the populations of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The VII Meeting, cognizant of the theme to “Let culture be the rhythm of our development”, sought to solidify some of the ideas of the past to serve as a spring board to facilitate positive joint action in the future, mindful of the fact that previous meetings had spent considerable time and energy on the developing critical theoretical constructs for the achievement of specified integration objectives of the Forum.
The VII Meeting was cognizant of the fact that further opportunities should be provided for all countries to access the system of information exchange within the shortest possible time. It was emphatic in its endorsement of the importance of culture as a major tool for human development and as catalyst for national development and the integration process. This recognition was underscored by the important opening statement of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago at this Meeting:
“…we still look to culture as a means of integration, failing to perceive that cultural integration has long been in place, except that we have not been able to convert it into conscious developmental energy. In this regard, the theme of this conference “Let our culture be the rhythm of our development” is both timely and relevant. The casual observer of our societies is inevitably confronted with what at first appears a bewildering array of historical relationships, cultural patterns and social forms. Almost every generalization seems to be in need of qualification and every theory has to be set within the tight constraints of individual circumstances. Yet, the region possesses a remarkable unity and consistency at the level of its history and its popular cultures, linguistic differences notwithstanding”.
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