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Culture Division to improve partnership with Cultural groups and artists

Participants listening to presentations

THE CULTURE Division within the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is facilitating a workshop for cultural groups and individual artist in effort to forge greater partnership.

A two days’ workshop which began yesterday and will end today brought together thirty participants to be part of the discussions.

The participants comes from various cultural groups, cultural associations and individual artists most of who are musician, carvers, weavers, panpipers, cultural dancing groups and painters.

Director of Culture Division Mr Dennis Marita said the aims of the workshop is to inform the participants about his department’s existing work programmes and also gather important perspectives from the participants to identify the issues affecting the cultural sector.

He said the workshop is part of serious of workshop the Culture Department will offer to maintain good dialogue with the cultural groups, associations, individual artists and relevant cultural stakeholders in the future.

Mr Marita said good dialogue and collaboration with the cultural groups, association, individual artists and relevant stakeholders is paramount to establish a baseline for culture industry development in the country.

He adds that good dialogue and collaboration with the cultural stakeholders will help identify the issues affecting cultural groups and artist who actually engaged in the cultural sector.

Mr Marita told those present that such workshop will help the Culture Department draw up an action plan to push cultural industry.

He continues to say that his division is looking at ratifying two UNESCO conventions knowns as Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage 2003 and the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2005.

Mr Marita said he is hopefully that his division will ratify the two conventions anytime this year.

He adds that his division is working on the Traditional Knowledge & Expression of Culture Bill which is yet to be abled before parliament.

“Once this bill is passed by parliament then the artists could fully benefit from their work as the law will regulate copyrights,” Mr Marita explained.

He said cultures and traditions are very valuable identity of our communities, Islands and country as such it is important to protect and safe guide cultural norms with appreciation.