Meeting of U40 The Americas, 19-21 May

Group photo of participants in Montreal 2011.This U40 meeting in Montreal brought together 30 young professionals (cultural policy experts, cultural practitioners, communication experts, legal experts, emerging scholars) from 11 North, Central and South American countries, all of them active members of civil society, government or the private sector.
The workshop marked the kick-off of the regional U40 Network “U40 Americas”.

Designed as an opportunity for capacity-building, the workshop focused on three themes associated with effective implementation of the UNESCO Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions:

  • Integration of Cultural Diversity in Sustainable Development
  • Approaches to Promoting the Vision of the 2005 Convention in other International Forums
  • Cultural Policies in the Digital Age

Proposals U40 Americas

The participants eleborated Proposals that are addressed to public, private and civil society actors concerned with the implications of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Goals of the Montreal Meeting

The U40 Americas initiative in Montreal had as its goal to launch a regional network of inter-disciplinary practitioners at an intermediate stage in their careers who can contribute to advancing the dialogue and work around the 2005 UNESCO Convention. U40 Fellows originally selected for the June 2009 gathering were joined by an expanded group of similarly-qualified young practitioners; together, they debated themes relating to the Convention’s application, and developed specific proposals tailored to the context of the Americas.

Concluding on May 21, the meeting was also an occasion to celebrate the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 2010.

The meeting was organised by the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity in partnership with Cérium, Université de Montréal.