OTTAWA, June 14, 2005 -- Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women Liza Frulla today announced that the international community has reached yet another important milestone in advancing the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Contents and Artistic Expressions. At a meeting in Madrid this past weekend, representatives of more than 70 countries gathered to rally support behind the text of the Convention, a clear sign of the building momentum."I am absolutely delighted by the incredible show of support coming mere days after the final draft text was unveiled in Paris," said Minister Frulla. "Canada has played a leadership role on this file since day one but we can't go it alone. It is clear that momentum is building in favour of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions."The meeting in Madrid follows last week's landmark working session in Paris in which 127 countries agreed to the final draft text of the Convention. The text was the result of intense negotiations, and was regarded by the overwhelming majority as a balanced and reasonable compromise. In fact, the reason the text was able to receive nearly unanimous support in Paris was that its authors were able to strike a balance among the interests of all parties while preserving a strong and effective Convention in the process.In Madrid, representatives of more than 70 countries, including approximately 45 Ministers of Culture, discussed next steps. Participants supported the Canadian delegation's argument against re-opening discussions on the text of the Convention, and agreed that the Convention should be presented without modification for adoption at the next UNESCO General Conference in October. The final draft text of the Convention agreed to in Paris revolved around Canada's three principal objectives:- The Convention recognizes the dual nature of cultural goods and services as having both an economic and social value;- The Convention reaffirms the right of states to take measures in support of cultural expression; and- The Convention is supportive and on equal footing with other international agreements and not subordinated by these agreements."With Canada's support and leadership, the international effort to ensure the diversity of cultural expression is a step closer to being rewarded. Over the course of the next few weeks, it is crucial to rally the support of as many countries as possible so that the Convention will be adopted in the fall," added Minister Frulla.In October 2005, the Convention will be presented for adoption at the UNESCO General Conference. Once adopted, it requires ratification by 30 UNESCO Member-States in order to come into force.Information:Jean-François Del TorchioPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women(819) 997-7788 Myriam BrochuChief, Media RelationsCanadian Heritage(819) 997-9314
