Tentative Agenda (subject to change slightly): "Globalization and Diversity, UNESCO and Cultural Policy-Making:  Imperatives for U.S. Arts and Culture Practitioners and Organizations" 

LOCATION: Smithsonian Institution Quadrangle-Ripley Center, Lecture Hall: 1100 Jefferson Drive - South West, Washington, DC

DATES: January 10-11, 2004

"This conference is designed to:

Encourage people to become more aware of and active in the global debate/discourse and policy-making surrounding cultural diversity taking place in UNESCO and in direct relationship to the discussions in the World Trade Organization regarding culture and trade.

Encourage arts/culture and related civil society organizations to become aware of U.S. re-entrance into UNESCO, and the processes by which civil society input can be made as to how the issue of cultural diversity in the U.S., as well as between the U.S. and other countries is formulated and represented."

Conference Program:

January 10, 2005

1:30pm - 2:00pm:
Welcome from the Chair:

James Early, Director Cultural Heritage Policy, Smithsonian Institution Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

2:00pm - 3:30pm:
Cultural trade, Cultural development, and Cultural democracy:

-Panelists will discuss the background and current developments around UNESCO's proposed Convention on the protection of the diversity of cultural contents and artistic expressions.

Richard Arndt, President, Americans for UNESCO

Garry Neil, Executive Director, International Network for Cultural Diversity Americans for UNESCO

4:00pm - 6:00pm: 
Are cultural goods and services merely products like any others?

Bonnie Richardson, Motion Picture Association of America

Theodore Bikel, Associated Actors & Artists of America

Ted Magder, Chair & Associate Professor, Department of Culture and Communication,  New York University
 
6:30pm - 7:30pm:
A reception for all delegates sponsored by the Motion Picture Association of America will be held at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of the American Indian.

January 11, 2005

9:00am - 11:00am:
Market forces alone cannot ensure cultural diversity nationally and internationally.

-The two speakers will address the following questions:

Can market forces alone ensure cultural diversity? 

Does it matter that trade agreements are eroding the right of states to regulate the media and support their own artists and cultural producers? 

Can the proposed new Convention make a difference for culturally diverse nations and especially indigenous and traditional cultures in the face of the powerful economic forces that favor trade liberalization?

Tyler Cowen, Professor of Economics at George Mason University and U.S.  member of UNESCO's Expert Panel debates

Benjamin Barber, the Gershon and Carol Kekst Professor of Civil Society; Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland and a pricipal of the Democracy Collaborative 

11:30am - 1:00pm:  
Threatened cultures and indigenous peoples

-This session will explore the particular issues surrounding threatened languages and cultures, including those of indigenous peoples.  The session will also look at ways they are addressed in the proposed "UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage", and WIPO's efforts to protect Traditional Knowledge.

Robert Albro, (Moderator), Rockefeller Humanities Fellow "Theorizing  Cultural Heritage and Political Representation" Smithsonian Center for  Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Suzan Shown Harjo, Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee, President of The Morning Star Institute, poet, writer, policy advocate, founding board member  of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian

Keith Harper, Cherokee, Attorney, Washington, D.C. office of the largest  national legal organization for Native rights, the Native American Rights  Fund

2:00pm - 3:30pm: 
Into the mainstream: strategies to achieve and to maintain diversity of cultural traditions and expressions within nations

How do we ensure that cultural systems reflect the rich diversity of communities that exist in many countries?

David Bollier, Co-founder, Public Knowledge and Editor, Onthecommons.org

Pam Fair, Screen Actors Guild

4:00pm - 5:30pm:
Where do we go from here? 

-In this session, conference delegates will discuss how arts and culture organizations and institutions can collaborate together within and across nations and with U.S. and UNESCO policy makers.

Thank you for your participation!

Back to UNESCO Convention information

To participate in the conference, please download the registration form, print, complete and fax to Tasha Coleman: 202.275.1119.  

For additional information about the conference, contact Tasha Coleman via email: colemant@si.edu