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Culture and creativity for the social inclusion of persons with disabilities in the Caribbean |
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2 December 2022/ UNESCO Havana
The Caribbean is home to over one million people with disabilities, more than the population of many of the States in the region. Seeking to give visibility to the creative potential of this group and to advocate for culture and creativity as tools to overcome the social barriers they face, the UNESCO Transcultura Programme, funded by the European Union, held the online event 'Disability' or 'This Ability'? Advocating for cultural rights in the post-COVID era, on 1-2 December 2022.
In her welcoming remarks, the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean, Anne Lemaistre, highlighted the following:
"We must transcend approaches that medicalise persons with disabilities and promote visions more focused on their creative, entrepreneurial potential, and the new capacities they generate to contribute to society."
Anne Lemaistre
The meeting, which was broadcast in three languages and with sign language interpretation, was attended by 20 civil society representatives from 17 countries in the Caribbean and Europe. During the first day, several panel discussions took place in which participants debated the challenges faced by artists with disabilities in the Caribbean aiming to produce, distribute and gain recognition for their work.
"Persons with disabilities must not be perceived as subject of charity but as individual rights owners that have a meaningful cultural contribution to society."
Floyd Morris, director of the Centre for Disability Studies of the University of the West Indies
At the same time, they championed a change of perspective that considers disability as "another capacity" that opens doors to new creative and entrepreneurial possibilities.
"When I started working on my inclusive theatre project, I realized the limitless creative possibilities of limited bodies."
Annita Capousizi, Artistic Director of ARTmeleia (Greece)
On the second day, a ‘fair of experiences’ was held, presenting artists with disabilities and initiatives that promote this group both in the Caribbean and in Europe, to foster the creation of networks and their insertion in other markets.
At the conclusion of the event, participants called on subregional and international officials, policy makers, the private sector and civil society representatives to learn from the experiences of male and female creators from the Caribbean and Europe living with disabilities, and to encourage more meaningful action for the inclusion of this group.
The programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity promotes capacity building and the creation of opportunities for young culture professionals from 17 Caribbean countries through cooperation and exchange in the region and with Europe. For the organisation of this online event, Transcultura received the close collaboration of the Centre for Disability Studies of the University of the West Indies.
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Related Link(s): Cultural Industries, Cultural Diversity, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
, Cultural Policies, Culture and Development |
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