First Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Culture and Highest Appropriate Authorities Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
July 12 - 13, 2002

DECLARATION OF CARTAGENA DE INDIAS

Within the framework of the commitments made at the Third Summit of the Americas of 2001, we the Ministers and highest appropriate governmental authorities responsible for cultural policies in the Americas met under the auspices of the Organization of American States (OAS) and within the framework of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) in order to discuss and take up in depth cooperation on cultural diversity and to establish more dynamic and efficient cooperation between our countries. For that purpose, we set forth the following declaration:

DECLARATION

1. Reaffirm that the cultural diversity that characterizes our region is a source of great richness for our societies and that respect for and value of our diversity contribute to social and economic dynamism and are positive factors in the promotion of good governance, social cohesion, human development, human rights and peaceful coexistence in the Hemisphere.

2. Recognize the fundamental right of freedom of expression and its importance in preserving and promoting cultural diversity.

3. Reaffirm the need to promote greater awareness and understanding of the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity in the Americas, through dialogue, studies, research and exchange within countries, between governments, regional and international organizations, civil society and the private sector.

4. Encourage greater collaboration between governments, civil society and the private sector in order to develop new and dynamic cultural policies aimed at promoting the cultural diversity of the hemisphere.

5. Recognize the need for greater Inter-American cooperation to maximize the benefits of globalization and mitigate its negative effects on the preservation and promotion of cultural diversity in the Americas.

With respect to Cultural Rights

6. Underscore the importance of recognizing cultural rights as a substantive component of human rights in the context of the creation and implementation of cultural policies.

7. Recognize that dialogue on cultural diversity must be undertaken in the context of respecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all individuals as a means of fostering a culture of peace that facilitates sustainable human development. This dialogue is fundamental to the recognition and respect for diverse cultures, especially indigenous and afro-american cultures, the eradication of all forms of discrimination including racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and other related intolerances in our societies including discrimination against persons with disabilities, as well as to the promotion of gender equality and to achieve full participation of all persons in the political, economic, social and cultural life of our countries.

8. Underline the central importance of guaranteeing the rights of artistic and cultural creators and implementing effective intellectual property protection.

With regard to Culture and Equity

9. Value the contributions of ethnic, religious and linguistic groups, particularly indigenous peoples and people of African and Asian descent, and the influence of cultures that emerge from grassroots communities, to the cultural wealth of the Americas, and the need to promote their full and equitable participation in our societies.

10. Underline the need to promote and strengthen sociocultural policies designed to include seniors and those who are vulnerable, marginalized, have different abilities or require special protection in our societies.

11. Value the cultural and economic contributions made by migrants to receiving societies as well as to their communities of origin.

On the importance of Cultural Policies within Public Policies

12. Recognize that government cultural policies that preserve and promote cultural diversity are fundamental to the social and economic development of our countries and are a key mechanism in the fight against poverty and the improvement of quality of life. In this regard, we recognize the need to give cultural policies greater prominence in the national policy agendas of the countries of the hemisphere.

13. Value concerted action in the definition and implementation of public policies to promote literary creativity, reading, libraries and where appropriate, books, with the participation of the private sector and civil society organizations.

With respect to cultural creators, organizations, businesses and industries

14. In the context of current international trade obligations and negotiations, stress the need to foster and promote strong cultural sectors, industries, voluntary organizations and foundations to preserve and promote cultural diversity, with special emphasis on cultural micro-enterprises and other local and community initiatives.

15. Underline the importance of supporting individual and collective creators of cultural goods and services in our hemisphere, including those from and working within indigenous and other linguistically and culturally diverse traditions, as a means of preserving and promoting the cultural diversity of our countries and our region.

16. Recognize the particular challenges facing lesser-developed countries, especially those with small and vulnerable economies, in the creation, production and dissemination of cultural goods and services.

17. Underline the importance of corporate social responsibility in supporting efforts to promote, preserve and stimulate cultural diversity.

With respect to Cultural Heritage

18. Encourage the deepening of inter-American cooperation in the identification, preservation and dissemination of tangible and intangible heritage resources that are expressions of our historic and current cultural diversity.

19. Condemn the pillage, illicit traffic, destruction and possession of cultural objects that causes irreversible loss to the cultural heritage, identities and sustainable economic development of our peoples.

On Culture and Development

20. Value culture as integral to sustainable development. In this regard, we affirm the need to work from within the cultural sector, towards development in the following terms:

• Development that generates sustained economic and social prosperity
• Development that takes into account cultural particularities
• Participatory development that takes into consideration the expressed needs and aspirations of the communities concerned.
• Development that takes into account cultural differences
• Development that broadens creative opportunities and the full and free expression of abilities
• Development that makes use of collective memory's potential for the improvement of quality of life and the creation and production of knowledge
• Development that respects cultural rights
• Development that values and fosters the cultural expressions of vulnerable sectors of society.
• Development that preserves and protects cultural heritage while enhancing its economic potential.

21. Having recognized the strong relationship between culture and the various spheres of development, we commit to increasing the ties between culture and the following sectors:

• Culture and education
• Culture and the media
• Culture and labor
• Culture and the environment
• Culture and health
• Culture and urban development
• Culture and the economy
• Culture and science and technology
• Culture and international relations

22. Emphasize the close link that exists between education and culture , in particular the need to improve the quality and ensure the pertinence of literacy and education programs as components of development strategies.

23. Stress the importance of cooperating to build management skills and training tools for cultural entrepreneurs, creators and carriers of oral cultural tradition.

24. Recognize that cultural diversity has an important manifestation in sport, as a universal activity that promotes a better integrated realization of individuals, social cohesion, mutual respect and development and further recognize that all persons, regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, religion, physical capacity or socio-economic status may participate and benefit from it. In addition, we consider the value and benefit of greater hemispheric cooperation on this theme.

In relation to the recognition of the role played by national bodies and international organizations

25. Value the important work done by Canada as President of the Working Group on Culture and as coordinator of the First Hemispheric Experts Seminar on Cultural Diversity held in Vancouver, Canada on March 18th and 19th, 2002, which has been fundamental to the subsequent deliberations on the present Declaration and Plan of Action. Especially recognize the outstanding work undertaken by the Ministry of Culture of Colombia, which made this Meeting possible, and in particular the Minister for her effective and enlightened leadership of this Meeting.

26. Urge the Organization of American States to ensure that, as of this important initiative to convene the First Meeting of Ministers of Culture and Highest Appropriate Authorities in the framework of CIDI, the topic of culture becomes a substantive part of the OAS agenda and that the Organization mobilizes the resources needed for the decisions made at this meeting to be carried out as agreed upon.

27. Recognize that the Organization of American States is to play a central role in the promotion of cultural dialogue, exchange and strengthened cooperation in the hemisphere.

28. Value the indispensable coordination of regional and global multilateral organizations, in particular the OAS, the CAF, CERLALC, CAB, the OEI, UNESCO, CARICOM, the International Network of Cultural Policies, and the International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies in fostering dialogue and promoting the exchange and strengthening of cultural cooperation.

PLAN OF ACTION OF CARTAGENA DE INDIAS

We the Ministers and highest appropriate governmental authorities responsible for cultural policies in the Hemisphere confirm our commitment to cooperate and participate in cultural issues of mutual interest at the hemispheric level. In that regard, we endorse the following Plan of Action.

Creation of an Inter-American Committee on Culture

1. To establish, within the framework and statute of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, an Inter-American Committee on Culture, made up of representatives designated by member states, to enable and facilitate exchange on issues of cultural policy diversity.

Procedural aspects of the Committee include:

I. Meeting regularly, under the auspices of the Organization of American States, and with the support of the General Secretariat.

II. Fulfilling the role of the preparatory body for the ministerial meetings and follow up on their decisions.

III. Provide recommendations and guidance on the content and implementation of the Inter-American Culture Program.

The objectives of the Committee shall be, among others, to:

IV. Contribute to the better understanding of the different approaches to culture and cultural policy in member states, and recognize the need to implement appropriate methods and strategies so that there is a greater awareness, understanding and respect for a broad range of diverse cultures.

V. Facilitate the sharing of information and best practices that contribute to the recovery, preservation and promotion of cultural diversity;

VI. Examine means of providing technical and financial assistance to the member states, particularly those with smaller and more vulnerable economies, in the preservation and promotion of cultural diversity.

VII. Support educational programs to encourage cultural activities and artistic expression.

VIII. Foster the exchange of information on policies, including among others:

• Culture as means and goal of national, regional and local development, and particularly cultural policies as a component of social and economic development.
• The role of the cultural sector, including volunteer organizations, foundations, cultural micro-enterprises, other local and community initiatives, and cultural industries such as the film, and audiovisual industries, radio and television broadcasting, and publishing industry, as well as folk arts and handicrafts, music, performing, visual and literary arts, museums and libraries, archives, and heritage conservation.
• Links between culture and education, culture and communication, culture and the environment and other sectors of development
• Full participation of all people in the cultural life of our countries.
• Eliminate the barriers faced by ethnic, religious and linguistic groups, particularly indigenous peoples , people of African descent and people of Asian descent, to participate in the cultural life of our countries.
• Preservation and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage
• The role of new information technology

Culture and Civil Society

2. Undertake studies, through the competent bodies of the General Secretariat on how foundations, philanthropic organizations and other civil society organizations can contribute to the development and implementation of cultural policies, and examine their best practices in recognizing, preserving and promoting cultural diversity, as a means of sharing information with other cultural policy actors in the Hemisphere.

3. Support member states, through the competent bodies of the General Secretariat, in the development of regular consultative mechanisms to ensure that civil society may actively engage with governmental and other experts on cultural policies, in a manner that ensures effective participation in hemispheric deliberations on cultural diversity and policy.

Preservation of Cultural Heritage

4. Strengthen cooperation to preserve and protect movable and immovable cultural objects and to eradicate the illicit traffic, pillage possession and destruction of cultural objects, through bilateral and multilateral agreements, among other means.

5. Consider the advisability of establishing in the framework of the Organization of American States, a list of the cultural heritage sites of the Americas that reflect the fullness of our cultural diversity and foster mutual cooperation to preserve and protect these sites.

Partnerships for Cooperation

6. Support the efforts being made by the Organization of American States, in the framework of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development and the General Secretariat, to foster greater cultural cooperation in the Americas. To that effect, we request that the Technical Secretariat, among other initiatives, gather and disseminate information to be included in the permanent portfolio of exemplary programs, composed of best experiences in cultural diversity that shall be contributed by the cultural ministries and entities of the Hemisphere.

7. To request that the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD) in coordination with the Unit for Social Development, Education and Culture, mobilize public and private resources to support the implementation of innovative and creative means that will allow for the strengthening of partnerships among member states in the area of culture.

8. Call upon national and international organizations, agencies and entities, particularly the CAF, CERLALC, the Convenio Andrés Bello, the OEI, UNESCO, CARICOM, Association of Eastern Caribbean States, CECC, the International Network on Cultural Policy and the International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies to foster greater cooperation and develop strategic programs which broaden their partnerships and linkages to the OAS as a means of responding to the challenges of cultural diversity. In this respect, we welcome the commitments defined in the Strategy for Inter-Agency Cultural Cooperation, to support the goals outlined in the Declaration and Plan of Action of Cartagena de Indias.

Inter-American Cultural Policy Observatory

9. Undertake a feasibility study on the establishment, within the framework of the Inter-American Committee on Culture, of an Inter-American Cultural Policy Observatory. The study should consider, among others, the following possible functions of the observatory:

• Facilitate the exchange of information on cultural policies and cultural diversity in the member states.
• Gather and make available specialized information on the cultural sector.
• Promote research and data collection on cultural policies in the member states.
• Contribute to the design of indicators by which to measure the impact of cultural policies and the cultural sector, including cultural industries, on the economic, social and cultural life in member states, as well as indicators on cultural legislation and cultural rights, within the context of human rights, among others.
• Build effective partnerships with foundations, academic and research institutions and other cultural observatories in the member states and around the world to promote the dissemination of cultural information.
• Identify measures that would contribute to the preservation and promotion of cultural diversity in the member states.
• Create a cultural atlas of the Americas.

Culture and Sport

10. With a view to improving the quality of life, and in follow-up to the mandate of the Third Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, consider establishing a mechanism within the Americas for cooperation in sport, with a special emphasis in the preservation and enhancement of indigenous and traditional sport, the strengthening of the role of women in sport, and increasing opportunities for children and youth, persons with disabilities and minorities to participate in and benefit from sport and other physical activities and creating an ethical environment in sport by advancing cooperation on anti-doping.