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II 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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SECOND MEETING OF MINISTERS OF CULTURE OF LATIN AMERICAN AND THE CARIBBEAN IN MAR DEL PLATA, 24 TO 28 JANUARY 1990.
FINAL REPORT
The 2nd Meeting of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean began with the welcoming reception of participant delegations by municipal authorities in the premises of the Debating Council of the city of Buenos Aires.
I. Opening of the meeting
At the opening of the meeting, participating delegations were welcomed by H.E. the Governor of the Province of Buenos Aires, Dr. Antonio Cafiero.
Afterwards, delegations presented their greetings to H.E. the President of the Nation, Dr. Carlos Menem, who honored with his presence the inauguration of the meeting. In his address, H.E. the President made a fervent call to unite their goodwill in order to integrate our peoples. In his address, he remarked:
"There are many common aspects: the language, friendship, religion largely, in this cultural, social and political Project of Latin American integration".
"Culture is the only real heritage of peoples. It is our collective memory, our essence and our possession. If there is to be a future for our peoples, it has already been written by culture".
II. Election of authorities
By acclamation, delegations chose the Secretary of Culture of the Nation, B.A. Julio Bárbaro, as Chairperson of the meeting.
Next, five vice-presidents and a Rapporteur General were chosen. The vice-presidencies went to the ministers of Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Peru, and the Head of the Delegation of Brazil. As Rapporteur General the Minister of Chile was chosen.
III. Working meetings
At the first working meeting the Head of the delegation of Brazil spoke to summarize the main aspects dealt with in the First Meeting of Ministers of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Brasilia in August 1989. He furthermore read a greeting sent by the Minister of Brazil, Dr. José Aparicio de Oliveira to participants at the meeting. The text of this message is attached as an annex to this record. Next, the President put to the meeting the agenda and the rules of procedure for deliberations.
AGENDA
Free circulation of cultural goods and services
• Cultural Circuits of Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Circulation of Cultural Goods through the Social Media.
• Latin American Network of Social Communications.
Together with the approval of the agenda, the Assembly agreed to discuss it in the Plenary and to summarize debates in agreements and recommendations.
The following agreements and recommendations were approved:
Progress achieved
The Ministries of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean are happy to confirm the progress made in cultural integration since the Brasilia Meeting, among others:
a. The practical results verified in the implementation of initiatives contemplated in Protocol Nr 18 of Cultural Integration between Brazil and Argentina respectively with regards to cinema and television. In this sense they underlined the fact that the Brazilian National Council of Cinema awarded the double certificate of nationality to the Argentinian movies Sur (South), Hombre mirando al sudeste (A Man Looking Towards the South East) and La deuda interna (The Internal Debt) as well as the adoption of a similar measure in Argentina with respect to three Brazilian movies. They furthermore pointed to the current understandings between Argentina Televisora Color (ATC, Argentinian Color TV ) and Radio y Televisión Cultural de San Pablo (RIC, San Pablo Cultural Radio and Television) with a view to sign a cooperation and Exchange agreement between both stations.
b. The Operative Circuit established between Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela.
c. The Latin American & Caribbean Meeting of Vanguard Art, to be held in Caracas in February 1991.
d. The Editorial Agreement between Ediciones Culturales Argentinas (ECA Argentinian Cultural Publications) and Monte Avila Latinoamericana C.A.
e. The Latin American & Caribbean Meeting of Cultural Television, to be held in Caracas in the coming month of May.
f. The Iberian-American Cinema Integration Forum, held in Caracas in November 1989.
g. The Regional Book Meeting and Iberian-American Forum of Editorial Integration to be held in Caracas on 29 November 1990.
h. Meeting of the Latin American Musicians in Morelia, Mexico, in August 1990.
i. Latin American Cultural House, to be inaugurated in Mexico en April 1990.
j. Special Collection of Latin American and Caribbean Works of Art to be opened in Mexico this year.
k. Latin American and Caribbean Literature Award to be convened in 1990 by Mexico.
l. Meeting on the Conservation of Natural and Cultural Heritage, organized by Mexico in coordination with UNESCO.
m. Development, in Mexico of the Program of Children’s and Juvenile Orchestras, in coordination with Venezuela.
n. Agreement between the National Cinema Institute of Argentina and the Foundation for the New Latin American Cinema, on Exchange and cooperation in the fields of training, study and documentation.
o. Cinematographic Co-production, Direction and Marketing of Argentina with Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico.
p. Latin American Congress on Copyright, held in Lima, 1989.
q. Strengthening of Mexico’s Cultural Caribbean Festival as a means to strengthen bonds between the countries of this sub-region.
r. Project to create a Monthly Latin American Presidential Tele-Conference by the Fundación Multimedios Latinoamericanos para la Integración (Foundation Latin-American Multi-Media for Integration.
s. Co-editing Agreement between Uruguay’s National Book Institute and Argentina’s Book Institute agreed in Montevideo in September 1989 to co-edit a Library of Literature of the Río de la Plata Region.
t. Latin American Theatre Festival, Cordoba (1990, 18-28 October).
u. Latin-American Cinema and TV Festival, to be held in Santa Fe in 1990.
v. Meeting on Argentina-Brazil industrial, editorial and Graph Complementarity, to take place in Buenos Aires in April, during the Book Fair, and with a second stage in Sao Paulo in September, for the Biennial, with cultural and entrepreneurial delegations.
w. Agreement for the constitution of a mixed Argentinean-Brazilian Library on three topics: history, literature, research and criticism. To be published simultaneously in both countries.
x. Creation of the Association of Iberian-American National Libraries, created in December of last year.
y. Meeting of the Latin American writers, to take place in Buenos Aires on 10-15 June 1990, in compliance with the Caracas Agreement.
z. The constitution, on the occasion of the First International Theatre Festival of San José, Costa Rica, in December 1990, of the Forum of Director of Latin American Theatre Festivals, including the directors of the Guanajuato (Mexico), Miami, San José, Bogotá and Caracas Festivals.
2. Free Circulation of Cultural Goods and Services
The Second Meeting of the Latin American and the Caribbean Culture Ministers, gathered in Mar del Plata:
Expresses its interest for the constitution of a Common Market for books and other Latin American and Caribbean cultural goods, and with this view welcomes, as a referential document, among others, the Agreement of Partial Scope on Cooperation and Exchange of Goods in the cultural, educational and scientific areas, subscribed in the framework of LAIA (Latin American Integration Association) in October 1988.
It furthermore recommends LAIA’s and CARICOM’s Executive Secretariats to undertake a study on existing mechanisms to establish a free circulation of cultural goods and services, and about the difficulties that the achievement of this purpose might encounter.
It requests the previously mentioned organisms to present their conclusions before the coming Meeting of Latin American and Caribbean Ministers of Culture in Mexico, in the course of the second semester of the present year.
With regards to the book, an identical request is formulated to the Regional Book Center for Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLALC, according to its Spanish acronym), so that the latter might report on the present situation of tariffs and tax charges in each of the countries of the region: customs and administrative procedures, costs of transportation and fora, legislative situation, provision of raw and other materials, and the intra- as well as extra-regional commercial flux of book export and import.
It also convenes a Regional Book Meeting, to be attended by state organs having to do with books or their equivalents, with a view for them to formulate policies that World stimulate the formation of a Common Book Market in Latin America. Those organs will attend the meeting after having collected the views of the Publishing Entrepreneurial Chambers as well as other private entities representative of the endeavors related to publishing and to the dissemination of reading habits in their respective countries. Furthermore, it requests the sponsorship of CERLALC for the realization of this meeting, considering the contributions that this organ has to the development of books in Latin America and the Caribbean. This meeting will take place in Caracas on 29 November 1990.
The Ministers Express their interest for the Project called “Latin American and Caribbean Popular Library” presented by CERLALC and recommends that this organ should prepare the pertinent documents and the formulation of consultations for the designation of national coordinators, with the aim of presenting their recommendations in the forthcoming Meeting of Culture Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean.
They simultaneously urge Latin American and Caribbean governments to adopt internal measures tending to create conditions that would allow for the attainment of a Common Market for Books and other cultural goods and services, and to foster their participation in every activity that would favor this process, such as fairs, meetings, authors’ and editors’ congresses, copyrights, etc.
3. Latin American and Caribbean Cultural Circuits
The Second Meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean Culture Ministers :
Proposes the formulation of regional cultural circuits, stemming from each country’s internal circuits. With this in mind, they particularly stressed the local social communications media.
In order to obtain this result, cultural goods will be classified in two types: unique goods (patrimonial, archaeological, historical goods; music, visual arts and drama, etc.) and goods of cultural industries (books, cinema, video, co-productions).
In the case of unique goods, the Pro-Tempore Secretariat of this meeting will be in charged of carrying out a study on the materialization and organization of those circuits. This study will be dispatched to participating countries in a delay that will not surpass six months.
Furthermore, the Pro-Tempore Secretariat will study the possibility of profiting from regional integration for the presentations of regional or extra-regional live art.
In the case of circuits that include goods from cultural industries, it recommends that bilateral agreements be signed between member countries about the elimination of taxes, the unification of rules of procedures, tariffs and administration, industry complementation, and also that contacts be held with the Inter-American organs linked to the topic, as well as traveling exhibits and artistic events. Progress made on this subject will be reviewed in each of the next meetings. The final goal of these agreements is the signing of a Regional Framework Agreement on the subject at the earliest possible time.
It requests that the General Secretariats of SELA (Latin American Economic System, according to its Spanish Acronym) and CARICOM undertake a feasibility study for the creation of a firm for the distribution of cultural goods in Latin America and the Caribbean, the results of which should be announced prior to the next meeting of Ministers of Culture.
It proposes that an Experts’ Meeting be convened to discuss all economic aspects of the cultural industry, among others, distribution circuits, common naming in administrative codes, transportation, tariffs, insurance, inputs, copyright, commercialization, etc., prior to the next meeting of Ministers of Culture of the Latin America and the Caribbean. This experts’ meeting might charge an international organ with the preparation of courses of action and follow-ups of this topic. It furthermore requests IADV (Inter-American Development Bank) to undertake a diagnosis about the cultural industry in Latin America and the Caribbean in one of its forthcoming annual reports.
It urges the Governments of Latin America and the Caribbean to profit in an integral way from the existing diplomatic infra-structure in each country in order to facilitate the greatest circulation possible of cultural goods.
It suggests the creation of museums and houses of culture in border areas that would serve as didactic elements in the promotion and assessment of mobile cultural goods.
It recommends Governments that have ratified the convention on measures to be adopted in order to prohibit and prevent importing, exporting and transferring the illicit property of cultural goods (UNESCO, Paris, 1970) to dictate the national rules of procedure in order to set in motion mechanisms to comply with the substantive provisions linked to the cases of illicit trade of natural and cultural heritage goods of the area.
It also recommends the study of projects of bilateral agreements about the procedural aspects of illicit trade, from the fulfillment and assessment of which might emerge multi-lateral agreements leading to the signature of a Framework Agreement of Latin America and the Caribbean on this matter.
It urges countries of the region that have not yet subscribed or ratified UNESCO’s convention mentioned ut supra to do so to the extent of their possibilities, with the objective of avoiding any detriment to their Cultural Heritage.
4. Circulation of Cultural Goods through the Social Communications Media and the Latin American Network of Social Communication.
The Second Meeting of Culture Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean:
• Condemns every type of radio and television activity that would amount to a violation of international agreements around the use of frequencies, to the detriment of the sovereignty of our countries.
• Recommends the creation of an experts’ commission to study the setting up of a TV channel of Latin America and the Caribbean, in coordination with the activities already in motion to promote the cultural integration of countries of the region. The Pro-Tempore Secretariat, in coordination with Argentina, will suggest the composition and functioning of said Commission in a delay that will not exceed 60 days.
• Expresses its satisfaction for the signing of the Iberian-American Agreement of Cinematographic Integration, of the Latin American Agreement of Cinematographic Co-Production and the Agreement for the creation of the Latin American Cinematographic Common Market, signed in October 1989 in Caracas. It recommends governments to promote the ratification of those agreements. It invites countries that have not signed those instruments to study the possibility of adhering to them.
It urges the IADB to give particular attention to financing the cinematographic industry and production in Latin America and the Caribbean.
It requests the Executive Secretariat of the Iberian-American Cinema, provisionally set up in Caracas, to elaborate a diagnosis about the legislation, tariff, administrative and tax norms tending to the harmonization of policies and norms orientated to the facilitation of cinema and audio-visual integration.
It requests UNESCO to undertake a feasibility study for the development of the convenient audio-visual technology, with the aim of favoring the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean in this field. This study will be presented as a Project through UNESCO’s national commissions in the region coordinated by the Pro-Tempore Secretariat.
It recommends the promotion of cultural industries in the region, in conditions that would assure their technological autonomy.
It recommends that a study be carried out in each country on the socio-cultural effects produced by the transnational information agencies. These studies will be delivered to the Pro-Tempore Secretariat for their analysis and the elaboration of a report to be presented to the forthcoming meeting of Ministers of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean.
It recommends the creation of Documentation Centers and Data Banks on Culture and Communication, tending to be articulated on a regional scale.
To foster the growth of the new forms of audio-visual production emerged in countries of the region, in particular the Latin American video movement.
5. Pro -Tempore Secretariat
The Second Meeting of the Ministers of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean constitutes, to the effects of the coordination of agreements, adopted a Pro-Tempore Secretariat that will be placed in the country that will organize the following meeting.
This Secretariat will be in contact with the liaison officer designated by each country that will be characterized by an adequate dedication and hierarchical level, to assist them with the information that they might request, to undertake the follow-up of agreed actions, to propose new initiatives and to assess the steps that have been undertaken. The Secretariat will deliver to the following country responsible for the meeting a report on the state of various activities at the end of its mandate.
The countries will designate the liaison officer and will communicate his designation to the Pro-Tempore Secretariat in a delay that must not exceed 60 days.
6. Recognition for the host country
The Delegations present at the meeting:
Considering that this Second Meeting of the Ministers of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean is a true landmark for the process of cultural integration of our nations and peoples;
Considering that the Republic of Argentina has traditionally been a hospitable country for intellectuals and artists, thereby promoting a continental inter-communication;
Considering that the brilliant and fortunate initiative of the President of the Republic, Dr. Carlos Saúl Menem, of promoting and sponsoring this meeting has totally accomplished the original goals of a fraternal approach, harmony and solidarity through culture;
Resolves to confer a vote of acknowledgement to the Argentinean Government in order to Express our gratitude to the Secretariat of Culture of the Nation for its kina invitation that has allowed us to work together in order to pursue the process of Latin-American and Caribbean cultural integration, with the aim of achieving new goals of unity and development.
7. Annexes
PRESENTATIONS
PRESENTATION OF THE BRAZILIAN DELEGATION
Concerning point II of the agenda, the Executive Secretary of the Commission of Cultural Development of the State of Rio Grande do Sul and President of the Forum of Secretaries of Culture of Brazil, Mr. Carlos Jorge Appel, member of the Brazilian delegation, made reference to certain initiatives, on which he formulated the following comments:
a) Latin American Bank of cultural data
Participating countries might furnish the widest possible information with respect to all aspects of their cultural activities, such as historical heritage, cultural spaces, drama, music, dance, literature, publishing industry, etc., with a view to promote the constitution of a Data Bank for the operation of which the infra-structure of the existing regional organs of integration, such as, for instance, LAIA Secretariat. The requested information could include, furthermore, the major cultural events programmed in the region, besides the bilateral or regional agreements signed between the countries in the region in the cultural sphere.
The Brazilian representative underlined the fundamental important of said data bank in order to facilitate the structuring of a cultural diagnosis of Latin America.
b. Final incentives for the promotion of culture.
The Brazilian delegate commented on the scope of the laws in force in Brazil on fiscal incentives for the promotion of culture (Law 7.505 of 1986) y stressed the positive results achieved in the implementation of said legislation. To this effect he proposed that the possibility of establishing in the countries of the region mechanisms of a similar scope, adapted to the specific peculiarities of each country, be considered.
The Brazilian representative informed that a pamphlet containing the Basic information on Law 7.505 would be distributed among participating countries.
c. Follow-up mechanisms
The Brazilian delegate mentioned the positive experience achieved with the functioning of the Executive Comision of the Forum of State Secretaries of Culture with regards to the coordination of sectorial efforts and the follow-up of decisions agreed within that framework. With a view to endow the Meeting of Ministers of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean with effective mechanisms of coordination and follow-up, he suggested that the possibility of constituting a permanent commission to follow-up decisions and recommendations adopted be examined. This commission might furnish a monthly report on today agreed initiatives are put into action.
The director of the National Book Institute of Brazil, Dr. Osvaldo de Ribeiro Paraiva, suggested that already-existing cultural events of a regional nature be extended to every country of the Latin American and Caribbean area. To this respect he mentioned the Latin American Art and Culture Festival in Brasilia (FLAAC, according to its Portuguese and Spanish acronym), the third edition of which is being planned to take place in mid-1990, and which might be widened to also include Caribbean countries.
ARGENTINA’S STATEMENT
We wish to underline that tomorrow, January 28, is the 128th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest Latin American thinkers, the Cuban José Martí.
The fact that the closing of our meeting should coincide with this date has a great meaning, for Martí, as so many others, was precisely one of the major fighters for the unity and integration of Latin America and the Caribbean.
That dark-skinned fatherland that we all dream of, and the suns that Martí imagined should enlighten our path towards Latin American integration.
PRESENTATIONS OF THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC
1. IV Latin American Drama Festival Córdoba 90
The IV edition of the IV Latin American Drama Festival of Córdoba 90 constitutes a new stage of the most significant theatrical meeting of the Argentinean Republic taking place since 1984 in Córdoba.
It is preceded by three national and another three Latin American festivals organized by the government of province of Córdoba and co-produced by the Secretariat of Culture of the Nation.
It extends to diverse regions in the interior of Argentina’s provinces. It includes an official exhibition with the presentation of ten troops representing brother countries and four national troupes; a parallel exhibition with the presentation of troupes with an especially interesting proposal; an exhibition with support groups from different countries of the world; an exhibition of children’s theatre with national as well as international expressions of this genre.
The meeting is completed with fora and workshops of diverse types.
2. Cinema and Video Festival of Santa Fe
The State Secretariat of Culture and Social Communication of the Province of Santa Fe, Argentina, invites brother countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to take part in the Latin American Festival of Cinema and Video of Santa Fe, that will be held on 10-18 August in that city.
This proposal seeks to contribute to a specific initiative emerged from the interior, for the realization of the goals of integration and the exchange of reciprocal goods and knowledge that have been traced at the Ministers’ meeting.
The Festival will include an exhibition of films and videos that will be classified and selected, as well as the holding of seminars, panels and meetings. The inscription forms, conditions of participation, program and all other information concerning the festival shall be circulated shortly.
The hosting of the Ministers of Culture of brother countries as well as support for the dispatch of films and videos to Santa Fe are requested.
PRESENTATION OF THE DELEGATION OF MEXICO
As specific actions to be undertaken, the Delegation of Mexico proposes the following:
1. The creation of a Forum of Latin American and Caribbean Intellectuals and Artists.
With a view to favor direct contact between artists and intellectuals of the region, governments might stimulate the creation of permanent fora for discussion and the exchange of experiences, and, above all, of reciprocal acquaintance with, and dissemination of, their own works. This would indeed stimulate individual creation as an integral part of the cultural heritage of Latin American and Caribbean countries.
A proposal is made for each country to organize a meeting that would be devoted to a different branch of literature and the arts.
Concerning Morelia’s Music Festival in August 1990, Mexico has invited some 30 musical composers, directors and executors from Latin America and the Caribbean. These artists, besides exchanging experiences, will witness the execution of works and will undertake seminars and workshops.
2. Latin American and Caribbean Fund for Culture and Arts
This would comprise a minimum administrative structure the object of which would be to obtain sufficient economic jeans to allow for the financing of some of the programs agreed in these fora. It would accept resources from governments as well as from private firms. Perhaps at an initial stage it might also obtain resources through collaboration with artists of the region that would contribute to this fund the benefits of some presentations or of their artistic works.
3. Latin American and Caribbean House of Culture.
The goal of the Latin American and Caribbean House of Culture, as a cultural program for dissemination, is the discussion and promotion of the cultural and artistic expressions and activities of all the countries of the region.
A material and administrative structure dedicated to the purposes of this program does not necessarily have to be created. Above all, it requires that a work team endowed with economic and political resources to convene national as well as foreign institutions and individuals for the realization of activities that would advertise the values and cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean be set up.
Some of its activities might be the following: presentation of shows, exhibitions of audio-visual production, individual and collective exhibits, meetings of intellectuals and artists, courses and seminars, etc.
In April, the Mexican House of Latin American and Caribbean Culture will be founded. One might expect that the countries attending the III Meeting of Ministers of Culture might send to Mexico exhibits and shows to be presented on the basis of a program that Mexico will propose.
4. In compliance with the recommendations of the Meeting in Brasilia, in its publications program, Mexico –through the National Council for Culture and Arts— will shortly begin a special collection of Latin American and Caribbean works.
5- Mexico will launch this year the dissemination and convening of a Latin American and Caribbean Literature Award, with the view of stimulating international knowledge of the literature of the region in every language present there.
6- Mexico has achieved significant progress in the follow up of the recommendations of the Brasilia meeting in the last quarter of 1989, in order to modify various legislative aspects that would eliminate tariffs and other fiscal measures that hinder the circulation of cultural goods.
7- Protection of cultural and natural goods. In the follow-up of the second chapter of the Declaration of Brasilia, relative to this system, it would be important to know the main actions undertaken in each country tending to the preservation of the cultural and natural heritage, such as declarations with respect to artistic and historical monuments and inventories of cultural goods. An appropriate forum of discussion, at a technical level, might be a meeting for reflection on the conservation of the cultural and natural heritage that Mexico organizes in collaboration with UNESCO, and to which he would invite the experts of the countries of the region to attend.
8-. Development in Mexico, with the determined technical cooperation of Venezuela, of the Program of Children’s and Juvenile Orchestras. |
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