©
2012 Rjn
UNITED CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS - COMMITTEE ON CULTURE Agenda 21 for culture Highlighted & Annotated with Rjn's thoughts, comments or observations particularly as relating to the programme - A work in Progress
UNITED CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS - COMMITTEE ON CULTURE Agenda 21 for culture Highlighted & Annotated with Rjn's thoughts, comments or observations particularly as relating to the programme - A work in Progress
PLEASE READ THIS NOTE (Sticky Note comment Rjn 9/12/2011 2:39:33 AM All sticky notes and the highlighting of this document are the thoughts
of Rjn alone. Rjn is the presenter and developer of the Gypsy Jack Boggle
Show. The reader is required to understand that no endorsement real
or implied is made by UNESCO, the United Cities and Local
Governments Committee on Culture, any NGO, any current government
or the United Nations of the comments and emphasis placed in this
highlighted and annotated document. Within the limits of my intelligence and understanding I have tried to
write these notes in the spirit of the Agenda and the United Nations
Covenants on Human Rights. Please advise me of any egregious errors
by email to thegypsyjackboggleshow@gmail.com (Sticky Note comment Rjn 9/12/2011 4:24:01 AM Ee by gum! It's gradely to be here "chatting with you" in cyberspace
rather than radio space. I have had a few thoughts on this wonderful
document that I was introduced to at a meeting held on Wednesday
7th. December 2011. The meeting was called by our local council's very
proactive new Cultural Development Officer, Ms Jillian Pearce. She
had invited Ms Kim Dunphy from the Australian Cultural
Development Network to address us about the “Agenda 21 for
culture” here at home in Horsham (Western Victoria, Australia). The Agenda 21 document contains some wonderful concepts. Concepts
that, for all our descendant’s sakes, I hope will become reality in this
sadly messed up world. For many years I have commented on Australia's failure to properly
implement the international human rights covenants that it has signed
on our behalf.........(See the Australian Federal Parliament’s Hansard
on Family Law & Community Radio Broadcasting, the Australian Family
Law Court Records and recently the Victorian State Parliament’s
enquiry into its Charter of Rights for identification of deficiencies and,
where submissions have been deliberately hidden, as evidence of the
lack of open democratic process.) We remain the only country in the world that has not properly codified
the international human rights covenants into local law. Here in
Victoria a State Charter was introduced in 2006, purportedly to
rectify this deficiency by Australian National Governments during the
last fifty years. But, as I experienced with the Local Hindmarsh
Council and with the recently voted out of office Labor Premier, the
knowledge of this Charter and its applicability within the State to
afford me rights to protect my health was non existent. I will also add
that the adherence to existing local bye-laws was discriminatory,
incomplete and ill informed. This is nothing new within Australian
administrative practice ( see Wendy Lowenstein’s 1978 book “Weevils
in the Flour” ISBN 0 908011 06 7. This uncivilised behaviour was and
continues to be detrimental to my health and well-being. However I digress, this is a blog about "The Gypsy Jack Boggle Show"
and, besides empowering you with the Article 21 contents, I wish to
demonstrate how one person, through sharing many culture’s folk &
traditional music, has for many years tried to achieve much of what is
belatedly now being advocated within this document. It has been
extremely gratifying to find that I am no longer a lone voice in a
cultural dessert.
I'm saddened to say that I have not seemed to have succeeded on a
more grand scale. The small broadcasting footprint of our local
community radio stations only reach a limited number of people and
few people read Hansard. Furthermore the song and music that I play
has been competing for listening space with the music & song heavily
promoted by commercial profiteering businesses largely playing
throw-away song & music played by cloned presenters. Why should
success only be measured in terms of the numbers of listeners?
Particularly when many listeners seem to have attention deficit
disorder and a lack of discernment due to exposure to an excess of
the aforementioned disposable commercial music and television. Success partly comes from having at least one discerning listener
each programme who telephones and tells me that “my last selected
artiste was a poor choice, their suggestion being far superior in
presentation and content”. Being forever optimistic I dream that
eventually one listener, like the small slip that becomes the start of
the avalanche, will be the one who tips the scale and changes the
world for ever. What a better future will then be created for
everyone and their descendants! Every folk or traditional song, tune and poem that I play is a homage
to all the individuals who have contributed to its beauty and/or
wisdom and have added to the stock of human cultural aural wealth. As I always say : - "Only a fool discards something that he or she does not know the
significance or purpose of. Only a wise person treasures the
heritage bequeathed by ancestors ". Please read on, be discerning and email me your constructive feedback
to thegypsyjackboggleshow@gmail.com UNITED CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS - COMMITTEE ON
CULTURE Agenda 21 for culture The Agenda 21 for culture is the first document with worldwide mission
that advocates establishing the groundwork of an undertaking by cities
and local governments for cultural development. The Agenda 21 for culture was agreed by cities and local governments
from all over the world to enshrine their commitment to human rights,
cultural diversity, sustainability, participatory democracy and creating
conditions for peace. It was approved by the 4th Forum of Local Authorities for Social
Inclusion of Porto Alegre, held in Barcelona on 8 May 2004 as part of
the first Universal Forum of Cultures. United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) adopted the Agenda 21
for culture as a reference document for its programmes on culture and
assumed the role of coordinator of the process subsequent to its
approval. UCLG’s Committee on Culture is the meeting point for cities,
local governments and networks that place culture at the heart of their
development processes. A growing number of cities and local governments the world over have
adhered to the Agenda 21 for culture in their local councils. The
process has raised the interest of international organisations, national
governments and civil society. How to adopt Agenda 21 for culture in your municipality Around 300 cities, local governments and organisations from all over
the world are linked to Agenda 21 for culture. A complete list is
periodically updated on the website. The formal adoption of Agenda 21 for culture by a local government is
of major importance: it expresses the undertaking with the citizens so
as to ensure that culture takes a key role in urban policies, and it
shows a sign of solidarity and cooperation with the cities and local
governments of the world. A standard form for adoption of Agenda 21 for culture is found on
the website. In order to ensure that adoptions are kept up-to-date,
cities and local governments are kindly requested to send a copy of
the resolution adopted in a plenary council meeting to: -The World
Secretariat of United Cities and Local Governments:
info@cities-localgovernments.org -The Secretariat of the Committee on culture:
agenda21cultura@bcn.cat Furthermore, it is advisable to send a copy of the resolution to: -The Secretary General of the Association of Cities or Municipalities
of your country -The Ministry for Culture of your country How to implement Agenda 21 for culture in your municipality Agenda 21 for culture provides an opportunity for every city to
create a long-term vision of culture as a basic pillar in its development.
The document “Advice on local implementation of Agenda 21 for
culture” draws up general concepts and considerations, and suggests
four specific tools: - Local cultural strategy - Charter of cultural rights and responsibilities - Culture council - Cultural impact assessment You can download the full document “Advice on local implementation
of Agenda 21 for culture” from the website. How to join UCLG’s Committee on Culture. Registration to UCLG’s Committee on Culture is possible through the
form you may obtain from info@cities-localgovernments.org (Sticky Note comment by Rjn 9/12/2011 2:44:46 AM ) Or you can try the Gypsy Jack Boggle Show way. "Read on said he with an inviting happy smile ........." The contents of Agenda 21 for culture The Agenda 21 for culture has 67 articles, divided into three large
sections. The “principles” section (16 articles) describes the relationship between
culture and human rights, diversity, sustainability, participatory
democracy and peace. The “undertakings” (29 articles) concentrates on the scope of local
government responsibilities, and gives a detailed description of the
request for centrality of cultural policies. The section on “recommendations” (22 articles) advocates for the
renewed importance of culture, and demands that this importance be
recognised in the programmes, budgets and organisational charts of
the various levels of government (local, national / State) and by
international organisations. (Sticky Note comment by Rjn 9/12/2011 2:21:13 AM)“The Gypsy Jack Boggle Show and its
themes (together with the prior incarnations of the British Isles Folk
Club on Air, BIFCOA ( Bloody Incredible Folk Music Covering Our
Australia ) and the original Gypsy Jack's Boggle Show have all been
proponents and practitioners of the principles expressed in this
agenda.)” The contents of Agenda 21 for culture can also be summarised
thematically. Culture and human rights - Culture and human development. Cultural diversity as “a means to
achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual
existence.” (Sticky Note comment by Rjn 9/12/2011 2:10:10 AM) “Who would disagree?” - Cultural rights are an integral part of human rights. “No one may invoke
cultural diversity to infringe upon the human rights guaranteed by
international law, nor to limit their scope.” (Sticky Note comment Rjn 9/12/2011 2:10:16 AM) “What a lot of education of petty
bureaucrats protecting their wage packets and pension schemes is
required before this wonderful dictate becomes world wide currency.
Also does this imply an end to the so called positive discrimination
masquerading as affirmative action used to ‘redress’ prior
discriminations?” - Mechanisms, instruments and resources for guaranteeing freedom of speech (Sticky Note comment by Rjn 9/12/2011 1:21:15 AM) “Although the statute books & courts
may state that there is a "freedom of speech", too many citizens are
afraid or apathetic of the consequences of expressing their views.
Folkies or Troubadours step up to the mark. You have a valued role to
play in speaking up for these people just as your ancestral predecessors
who were minstrels did in days of yore.” - Invitation to artists to commit themselves with the city, improving
coexistence and quality of life, increasing the creative and critical
capacity of all citizens (Sticky Note comment Rjn 9/12/2011 1:01:47 AM) “Folk music artistes, troubadours,
wandering minstrels and gypsies have been doing this for millennia." “Not only have they, the Folkies & Troubadours, carried humanity’s
“long memory”, American Troubadour Utah Phillip’s expression
(Australian Professor Manning Clark’s “voice of the people”) from
generation to generation but, along the way have spread individual
cultural concepts, thought processes and innovations throughout
the world.” “Folkies & Troubadours can be disseminators of vox populi, the
truth-sayers who reveal the emperor to be naked, the gentle non
violent ridiculer of egregious anti-social policy or procedure, the
shapers of destiny.......” “Please do not allow the significance and immeasurable value of the art-form
be destroyed by inferior, quick buck, here today - gone tomorrow
material performed by zombie like pedlars of inconsequential pap
wanting homogenised sheeplike world citizens.” Culture and governance -New central role of culture in society. Legitimacy of cultural policies -Quality of local development depends on the interweaving of cultural
policies and other public policies (Sticky Note comment Rjn 9/12/2011 1:41:30 AM) “In the folk music world we are all
human beings who should be recognised as having equal rights. Some have
greater skills, knowledge et cetera. We are however all part of the human
family each having a unique individuality, sometimes a shared cultural
ancestry but always a shared love of our common culture – Folk and
Traditional or Heritage Music. Learning how to support and appreciate music
from other cultures is part of the measure of your humanity.” -Local governance: a joint responsibility of citizens, civil society and
governments (Sticky Note comment Rjn 9/12/2011 12:50:54 AM) “Not forgetting that civil society and
governments are merely alternate words for groupings of people or citizens
who undertake specific functions.” -Improvement of assessment mechanisms in culture. System of cultural
indicators (Sticky Note comment Rjn 9/12/2011 1:35:11 AM) “Only one discerning person needs to adopt
an expressed culture or cultural value for its proponent to have been truly
successful. Statistics are unlikely to identify such "needles in the haystack" -
there has only been one Van Gogh. He represents a one in one hundred billion
or more chance of evolution.” “Can a statistical question be devised to identify the person who adds to the
cultural wealth of humanity in such a way as Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Shakespeare
et al?” “Assessment still smacks of the justification demanded by accounting systems
that have historically totally failed to properly value such societal wealth as
culture, health, living environments, peace and freedom.” - Importance of networks and international cooperation (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 2:33:15 PM) “Many minds improve the final product but,
every avalanche starts with a small local slip.......” - Participation of local governments in national cultural policies and
programmes (Sticky Note comment Rjn 9/12/2011 1:44:06 AM) “ - Oy! - You! - Do It! - Stop being apathetically disengaged!” Culture, sustainability and territory - Cultural diversity, as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for
nature - Diversity of cultural expressions brings wealth. Importance of
a wide cultural ecosystem, with diversity of origins, actors and content - Dialogue, coexistence and interculturality as basic principles for the
dynamics of citizen relationships - Public spaces as cultural spaces (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 2:29:36 PM) “Movers & Shakers – please note the
plurality in Public spaces. Here in “Namby Pamby” land there is also
the issue of the “thought police” preventing the appropriate
dissemination of cultural expression through prohibition or mock
statistics saying “no one wants this! We only want what we have been
fed for the last fifty years by powerful commercial or devaluing
interests wanting us to produce disposable product
and follow ersatz forms of culture”. Culture and social inclusion Access to culture at all stages of life. (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 2:46:38 PM) “Too often in Community Radio
Stations I have heard the voice of youth totally ignored and instructed
to merely broadcast grandparent’s and great grandparent’s cultural
‘monopolies’. The populations of many countries have changed
considerably in recent times and consist of a fair sized portion
of the next generation. Some of them are developing the new
cultures to go forward and ultimately become
heritage. In folk music terms I call it “today’s folk music
becoming tomorrow’s heritage”.” -a basic dimension of human dignity and social inclusion without any
prejudice to gender, origin, poverty or any other kind of discrimination. (Sticky Note comment Rjn 9/12/2011 1:52:24 AM) “Hey indoctrinated person. When I
gesticulate with my hands, I am using them to help express myself and overcome
my speaking inabilities. My tongue is often slower than my thinking. It also
helps to stimulate the much needed blood flow to my brain. I am tired of you
trying to silence me with your childish much adopted accusation and deliberate
misunderstanding that I am threatening you.” - Building audiences and encouraging cultural participation as vital
elements of citizenship (Sticky Note comment Rjn 9/12/2011 2:06:44 AM) “I weep for the 1970's style Sydney festival,
when many people proudly exhibited and shared their cultural origins through
costume, dance, food and song.” “Why has that been destroyed?” “To advance world homogenisation?” “To make a quick buck? A buck that is more measureable on the economic
scales used to measure a country's wealth?” “To perpetrate a "cultural genocide"?” “To create a false measure of the "advancement of society from more primitive
beginnings”?” Culture and economy - Recognition of the economic dimension of culture. Importance of
culture as a factor in the creation of wealth and economic development - Funding culture with various sources, such as subsidies, venture
capital funds, micro-credits or tax incentives. - Strategic role of the cultural industries and the local media for their
contribution to local identity, creative continuity and job creation - Relations between cultural facilities and the organisations of the
knowledge economy - Respect and guarantee rights of authors and artists and ensure their
fair remuneration (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 2:46:38 PM)“In respect of Community Radio
operation much work is needed by the Australian Federal Government
who to date seem to place no or little recognition in the rights of
people working in this field. Considering that most are volunteers not
receiving remuneration, this is outrageous shamefaced
failure.” The website http://www.agenda21culture.net hosts all the resources,
including translations of the document into several languages, articles,
publications, news and events. AGENDA 21 FOR CULTURE An undertaking by cities and local governments for cultural
development We, cities and local governments of the world, committed to human
rights, cultural diversity, sustainability, participatory democracy and the
creation of the conditions for peace, assembled in Barcelona on 7 and
8 May 2004, at the IV Porto Alegre Forum of Local Authorities for
Social Inclusion, in the framework of the Universal Forum of Cultures –
Barcelona 2004, agree on this Agenda 21 for Culture as a guiding
document for our public cultural policies and as a contribution to the
cultural development of humanity. I. Principles 1. Cultural diversity is the main heritage of humanity. (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 3:10:30 PM) “Look at the BIFCOA Inc. appendices
reproduced in Hansard describing my understanding of folk music.” It is the product of thousands of years of history, the fruit of the
collective contribution of all peoples through their languages,
imaginations, technologies, practices and creations. Culture takes on
different forms, responding to dynamic models of relationship between
societies and territories. Cultural diversity is “a means to achieve a
more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence”
(UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, article 3), and is
one of the essential elements in the transformation of urban and social
reality. 2. Clear political analogies exist between cultural and ecological
questions, as both culture and the environment are common assets of
all humanity. (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 3:15:34 PM) “I find it fascinating how the
moribund will cut off their noses to spite their faces.” The current economic development models, which prey excessively on
natural resources and common goods of humanity, are the cause of
increasing concern for the environment. Rio de Janeiro 1992, Aalborg
1994, and Johannesburg 2002, have been the milestones in a process
of answering one of the most important challenges facing humanity:
environmental sustainability. The current situation also provides
sufficient evidence that cultural diversity in the world is in danger due
to a globalization that standardizes and excludes. UNESCO says: “A
source of exchange, innovation and creativity, cultural diversity is as
necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature” (UNESCO
Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, article 1). 3. Local governments recognize that cultural rights are an integral part
of human rights, taking as their reference the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights (1966) and the UNESCO Universal
Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001). They recognize that the
cultural freedom of individuals and communities is an essential
condition for democracy. No one may invoke cultural diversity to
infringe upon the human rights guaranteed by international law, nor to
limit their scope. 4. Local governments are worldwide agents of prime importance as
defenders and promoters of the advance of human rights. They also
represent the citizens of the world and speak out in favour of
international democratic systems and institutions.
(Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 3:15:34 PM)“Apart from Australia and its individual
States?” Local governments work together in networks, exchanging practices and experiences and coordinating their actions. 5. Cultural development relies on a host of social agents. The main
principles of good governance include transparency of information and
public participation in the conception of cultural policies, decision-making
processes and the assessment of programmes and projects. 6. The indispensable need to create the conditions for peace must go
hand in hand with cultural development strategies. War, terrorism,
oppression and discrimination are expressions of intolerance which must
be condemned and eradicated. (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 3:17:24 PM) “Totally agreed. No argument from me.
How about you?” 7. Cities and local spaces are a privileged setting for cultural invention
which is in constant evolution, and provide the environment for creative
diversity, where encounters amongst everything that is different and
distinct (origins, visions, ages, genders, ethnic groups and social
classes) are what makes full human development possible. Dialogue
between identity and diversity, individual and group, is a vital tool for
guaranteeing both a planetary cultural citizenship as well as the survival
of linguistic diversity and the development of cultures. 8. Coexistence in cities is a joint responsibility of citizens, civil society
and local governments. Laws are fundamental, but cannot be the only
way of regulating coexistence in cities. As the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (article 29) states: “Everyone has duties to the community
in which alone the free and full development of his …(/her)… personality
is possible”. 9. Cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, testifies to human creativity
and forms the bedrock underlying the identity of peoples. Cultural life
contains both the wealth of being able to appreciate and treasure
traditions of all peoples and an opportunity to enable the creation and
innovation of endogenous cultural forms. These qualities preclude any
imposition of rigid cultural models. 10. The affirmation of cultures, and the policies which support their
recognition and viability, are an essential factor in the sustainable
development of cities and territories and its human, economic, political
and social dimension. The central nature of public cultural policies is a
demand of societies in the contemporary world. The quality of local
development depends on the interweaving of cultural and other public
policies – social, economic, educational, environmental and urban
planning. 11. Cultural policies must strike a balance between public and private
interest, public functions and the institutionalization of culture. Excessive
institutionalization or the excessive prevalence of the market as the sole
distributor of cultural resources involves risks and hampers the dynamic
development of cultural systems. The autonomous initiative of the
citizens, individually or in social entities and movements, is the basis of
cultural freedom. 12. Proper economic assessment of the creation and distribution of
cultural goods – amateur or professional, craft or industrial, individual or
collective – becomes, in the contemporary world, a decisive factor in
emancipation, a guarantee of diversity and, therefore, an attainment of
the democratic right of peoples to affirm their identities in the relations
between cultures. Cultural goods and services, as stated in the
UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (article 8), “as
vectors of identity, values and meaning, must not be treated as mere
commodities or consumer goods”. It is necessary to emphasize the
importance of culture as a factor in the creation of wealth and economic
development. 13. Access to the cultural and symbolic universe at all stages of life,
from childhood to old age, is a fundamental element in the shaping of
sensitivity, expressiveness and coexistence and the construction of
citizenship. The cultural identity of each individual is dynamic. (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 3:29:15 PM)”Demonstrated in the Gypsy Jack Boggle
Show by the importance of preferably showcasing several examples of a
performer, composer or poet’s work to enable better understanding of
that performer’s capabilities rather than the popularity of their
current ‘hit’.” 14. The appropriation of information and its transformation into
knowledge by the citizens is a cultural act. Therefore access without
discrimination to expressive, technological and communication
resources and the constitution of horizontal networks strengthens and
nourishes the collective heritage of a knowledge-based society. 15. Work is one of the principal spheres of human creativity. Its cultural
dimension must be recognized and developed. The organization of work
and the involvement of businesses in the city or territory must respect
this dimension as one of the basic elements in human dignity and
sustainable development. 16. Public spaces are collective goods that belong to all citizens. No
individual or group can be deprived of free use of them, providing they
respect the rules adopted by each city. (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 3:40:39 PM)
“In this age of pelf and globalisation, too frequently individuals are
prevented from undertaking their culture in their preferred
environment because of restrictive economic practices imposed by
avaricious property owners and those wishing to prevent the free
dissemination of different cultural pursuits in the pursuit of ignorance,
the destruction or genocide of targeted cultures.” II. Undertakings 17. To establish policies that foster cultural diversity in order to
guarantee a broad supply and to promote the presence of all cultures
especially minority or unprotected cultures, in the media and to support
co-productions and exchanges avoiding hegemonic positions. 18. To support and promote, through different means and instruments,
the maintenance and expansion of cultural goods and services, ensuring
universal access to them, increasing the creative capacity of all
citizens, the wealth represented by linguistic diversity, promoting artistic
quality, searching new forms of expression and the experimentation
with new art languages, as well as the reformulation and the interaction
between traditions, (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 3:40:39 PM) “Go it Folkie, Australian new tradition
and today heritage music & song is awaiting your development and
input. See the “Songs with Legs” review in this blog site in
November.” and the implementation of mechanisms of cultural management which
detect new cultural movements and new artistic talent and encourage
them to reach fulfilment. (Sticky Note comment Rjn 14/12/2011 3:40:39 PM) “If fewer attempts were made to emulate past
& present commercial and national broadcaster ideology local
community radio would rapidly become the means for such
detection and growth.” Local governments state their commitment to creating and increasing
cultural audiences and encouraging cultural participation as a vital
element of citizenship. 19. To implement the appropriate instruments to guarantee the
democratic participation of citizens in the formulation, exercise and
evaluation of public cultural policies. 20. To guarantee the public funding of culture by means of the
necessary instruments. Notable among these are the direct funding of
public programmes and services, support for private enterprise activities
through subsidies, and newer models such as micro-credits, risk-capital
funds, etc. It is also possible to consider establishing legal systems to
facilitate tax incentives for companies investing in culture, providing
these respect the public interest. 21. To open up spaces for dialogue between different spiritual and
religious choices living side by side in the local area, and between
these groups and the public authorities to ensure the right to free
speech and harmonious coexistence. 22. To promote expression as a basic dimension of human dignity and
social inclusion without prejudice by gender, age, ethnic origin, disability,
poverty or any other kind of discrimination which hinders the full
exercise of freedoms. The struggle against exclusion is a struggle for
the dignity of all people. (Sticky Note comment Rjn 15/12/2011 00:06:39 PM) “ A trait absent in many Australian
institutions, media sources, governments, public offices, officers and purported
people’s representatives.” 23. To promote the continuity and the development of indigenous local
cultures, which are bearers of a historic and interactive relation with the
territory. 24. To guarantee the cultural expression and participation of people
with cultures from immigration or originally rooted in other areas. At the
same time, local governments undertake to provide the means for
immigrants to have access to and participate in the culture of the host
community. That reciprocal commitment is the foundation of coexistence
and inter cultural processes, which in fact, without that name, have
contributed to creating the identity of each city. 25. To promote the implementation of forms of “cultural impact
assessment” as a mandatory consideration of the public or private
initiatives that involve significant changes in the cultural life of cities. 26. To consider cultural parameters in all urban and regional planning,
establishing the laws, rules and regulations required to ensure
protection of local cultural heritage and the legacy of previous
generations. 27. To promote the existence of the public spaces of the city and foster
their use as cultural places for interaction and coexistence. To foster
concern for the aesthetics of public spaces and collective amenities. 28. To implement measures to decentralize cultural policies and
resources, legitimating the creative originality of the so-called
peripheries, favoring the vulnerable sectors of society and defending
the principle of the right of all citizens to culture and knowledge without
discrimination. That determination does not mean avoiding central
responsibilities and, in particular, responsibility for funding any
decentralization project. 29. To particularly promote coordination between the cultural policies of
local governments that share a territory, creating a dialogue that values
the identity of each authority, their contribution to the whole and the
efficiency of the services for citizens. 30. To boost the strategic role of the cultural industries and the local
media for their contribution to local identity, creative continuity and job
creation. 31. To promote the socialization of and access to the digital dimension
of projects and the local or global cultural heritage. The information and
communication technologies should be used as tools for bringing
cultural knowledge within the reach of all citizens. 32. To implement policies whose aim is the promote access to local
public media and to develop these media in accordance with the
interests of the community, following the principles of plurality,
transparency and responsibility. 33. To generate the mechanisms, instruments and resources for
guaranteeing freedom of speech. 34. To respect and guarantee the moral rights of authors and artists and
ensure their fair remuneration. 35. To invite creators and artists to commit themselves to the city and
the territory by identifying the problems and conflicts of our society,
improving coexistence and quality of life, increasing the creative and
critical capacity of all citizens and, especially, cooperating to contribute
to the resolution of the challenges faced by the cities. 36. To establish policies and investments to encourage reading and the
diffusion of books, as well as full access for all citizens to global and
local literary production. 37. To foster the public and collective character of culture, promoting the
contact of all sectors of the city with all forms of expression that favour
conviviality: live shows, films, festivals, etc. 38. To generate coordination between cultural and education policies,
encouraging the promotion of creativity and sensitivity and the relations
between cultural expressions of the territory and the education system. 39. To guarantee that people with disabilities can enjoy cultural goods
and services, facilitating their access to cultural services and activities. 40. To promote relations between the cultural facilities and other entities
working with knowledge, such as universities, research centers and
research companies. 41. To promote programmes aimed at popularizing scientific and
technical culture among all citizens, especially taking into account that
the ethical, social, economic and political issues raised by possible
applications of new scientific knowledge are of public interest. 42. To establish legal instruments and implement actions to protect the
cultural heritage by means of inventories, registers, catalogues and to
promote and popularize heritage appreciation through activities such as
exhibitions, museums or itineraries. 43. To protect, valorize and popularize the local documentary heritage
generated in the public local/regional sphere, on their own initiative or in
association with public and private entities, providing incentives for the
creation of municipal and regional systems for that purpose. 44. To encourage the free exploration of cultural heritage by all citizens
in all parts of the world. To promote, in relation with the professionals
in the sector, forms of tourism that respect the cultures and customs
of the localities and territories visited. 45. To develop and implement policies that deepen multilateral
processes based on the principle of reciprocity. International cultural
cooperation is an indispensable tool for the constitution of a supportive
human community which promotes the free circulation of artists and
cultural operators, especially across the north-south frontier, as an
essential contribution to dialogue between peoples to overcome the
imbalances brought about by colonialism and for inter-regional
integration. III. Recommendations TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS 46. All local governments are invited to submit this document for the
approval of their legislative bodies and to carry out a wider debate with
local society. 47. Ensure the central place of culture in local policies and promote the
drafting of an Agenda 21 for culture in each city or territory, in close
coordination with processes of public participation and strategic
planning. 48. Make proposals for agreeing the mechanisms for cultural
management with other institutional levels, always respecting the
principle of subsidiarity. 49. Fulfill, before 2006, a proposal for a system of cultural indicators
that support the deployment of this Agenda 21 for culture, including
methods to facilitate monitoring and comparability. TO STATE AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS 50. Establish instruments for public intervention in the cultural field,
bearing in mind the increase in citizens’ cultural needs, current
deficiencies of cultural programmes and resources and the importance
of devolving budgetary allocations. Moreover, it is necessary to work
to allocate a minimum of 1% of the national budget for culture. 51. Establish mechanisms for consultation and agreement with local
governments, directly or through their networks and federations, to
make new legislation, rules and systems for funding in the cultural field. 52. Avoid trade agreements that constrain the free development of
culture and the exchange of cultural goods and services on equal terms. 53. Approve legal provisions to avoid the concentration of cultural and
communication industries and to promote cooperation, particularly in the
field of production, with local and regional representatives and agents. 54. Guarantee appropriate mention of the origin of cultural goods
exhibited in our territories and adopt measures to prevent illegal
trafficking of goods belonging to the historic heritage of other peoples. 55. Implement at state or national level international agreements on
cultural diversity, especially the UNESCO Universal Declaration on
Cultural Diversity, approved at the 31st General Conference, in
November 2001, and the Plan of Action on Cultural Policies for
Development agreed at the Intergovernmental Conference in Stockholm
(1998). TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS ORGANIZATIONS OF CITIES 56. To United Cities and Local Governments: adopt this Agenda 21 for
Culture as a reference document for their cultural programmes and also
assume their role as coordinators of the process after their adoption. 57. To continental networks of cities and local governments (especially
the ones that promoted this Agenda 21 such as Interlocal, Eurocities,
Sigma or Mercociudades): consider this document within their technical
action and policy programmes. UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMMES AND AGENCIES 58. To UNESCO: recognize this Agenda 21 for Culture as a reference
document in its work preparing the international legal instrument or
Convention on Cultural Diversity planned for 2005. 59. To UNESCO: recognize cities as the territories where the principles
of cultural diversity are applied, especially those aspects related to
coexistence, democracy and participation; and to establish the means
for local governments to participate in its programmes. 60. To the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): deepen
its analysis of culture and development and incorporate cultural
indicators into the calculation of the human development index (HDI). 61. To the Department of Economic and Social Affairs – Sustainable
Development Section, which is responsible for the monitoring of
Agenda 21: develop the cultural dimension of sustainability following
the principles and commitments of this Agenda 21 for Culture. 62. To United Nations – HABITAT: consider this document as a basis for
the establishing the importance of the cultural dimension of urban
policies. 63. To the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights: include the urban dimension in its analysis of the relations
between cultural rights and other human rights. INTERGOVERNMENTAL AND SUPRANATIONAL ORGANISATIONS 64. To the World Trade Organizations: exclude cultural goods and
services from their negotiation rounds. The bases for exchanges of
cultural goods and services must be established in a new international
legal instrument such as the Convention on Cultural Diversity planned
for 2005. 65. To the continental organizations (European Union, Mercosur, African
Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations): incorporate culture as
a pillar of their construction. Respecting the national competences and
subsidiarity, there is a need for a continental cultural policy based on
the principles of the legitimacy of public intervention in culture, diversity,
participation, democracy and networking. 66. To the multilateral bodies established on principles of cultural affinity
(for example, the Council of Europe, the League of Arab States, the
Organization of Iberoamerican States, the International Francophone
Organisation, the Commonwealth, the Community of Portuguese
Language Countries, the Latin Union): promote dialogue and joint
projects which lead to a greater understanding between civilizations
and the generation of mutual knowledge and trust, the basis of peace. 67. To the International Network for Cultural Policies (states and
ministers of culture) and the International Network for Cultural Diversity
(artists’ associations): consider the cities as fundamental territories of
cultural diversity, to establish the mechanisms for the participation of
local governments in their work and to include the principles set out in
this Agenda 21 for culture in their plans of action. Barcelona, 8 de mayo de 2004 Committee on culture – United Cities and Local Governments – UCLG Commission de culture – Cités et Gouvernements Locaux Unis – CGLU Comisión de cultura – Ciudades y Gobiernos Locales Unidos – CGLU http://www.agenda21culture.net http://www.cities-localgovernments.org agenda21cultura@bcn.cat info@cities-localgovernments.org The Agenda 21 for culture is available in English, French, Spanish,
Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Galician, German, Italian, Japanese,
Portuguese and Turkish. Committed to cultural and linguistic diversity,
the Committee on culture encourages its translation into more languages. L'Agenda 21 de la culture est disponible en anglais, français, espagnol,
allemand, arabe, bulgare, catalan, galicien, italien, japonais, portugais
et turc. Engagé à la diversité culturelle et linguistique, la Commission de
culture encourage sa traduction dans d’autres langues. La Agenda 21 de la cultura está disponible en inglés, francés, español,
alemán, árabe, búlgaro, catalán, gallego, italiano, japonés, portugués y
turco. Comprometido con la diversidad cultural y lingüística, la
Comisión de cultura anima a su traducción a otras lenguas. Edited: 31 January 2008
