Civil society statement on culture and diversity
Civil society meeting at the 2007 Commonwealth People's Forum, Kampala, Uganda, agreed the following statement on culture and diversity.
Noting that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, at their 2005 meeting in Malta, affirmed the importance of promoting tolerance, respect, enlightened moderation and friendship among people of different races, faiths and cultures;
Noting that culture in the Commonwealth is a driving force for people-centred development;
We call on Commonwealth Member States to:
- recognise and promote awareness that cultural diversity within and between Member States is a fundamental pillar of the Commonwealth, alongside development and democracy;
- create an enabling environment to foster unity in diversity; ensure respectful dialogue between people with different identities and values within communities, regions, nation states and the Commonwealth; and address issues of conflict, social exclusion and marginalisation;
- recognise and support the increasing role of the creative industries, cultural heritage, and other forms of cultural creativity in contributing to economic development, while protecting creators' rights of ownership to enable local communities to realise their potential;
- raise the status and budgets of member government Ministries and Commonwealth bodies with a brief for gender, youth, culture and diversity, while ensuring that their programmes and actions are integrated into the work of all other departments;
- support greater Commonwealth-level networking between culture ministers and senior officials, including civil society and the private sector; and
- ratify the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and meaningfully involve and support civil society in its implementation at national, regional and international levels, notably in the development and application of cultural policies and strategies.
