Madame Louise ARBOUR

Implementing cultural rights

Nature, issues at stake and challenges

Seminar organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in partnership with the International Organization of La Francophonie and UNESCO, in collaboration with the Observatory

of diversity and cultural rights

Geneva, 1-2 February 2010
Palais des Nations
Room XXI
Simultaneous interpretation into English / French / Spanish

Agenda

Monday 1 February
10-10h30 / Introduction
-Mr. Bacre Ndiaye, Director, Human Rights Council and Special Procedures Division, OHCHR
-Mr. Hugo Sada, Delegate for Human Rights, Democracy and Peace, International Organization of la Francophonie
-Mr. Luis Tiburcio, Director, UNESCO, Liaison Office in Geneva
-Ms. Farida Shaheed, Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights
10h30-13h / Topic 1: Nature and scope of cultural rights within the human rights system
Moderator:Ms. Jane Connors, Chief, Special Procedures Branch, OHCHR
-“Cultural rights: the practice of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights”, Mr. Jaime Marchan Romero,Chair of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
-“Defining cultural rights”, Mr. Patrice Meyer-Bisch, Fribourg University, Switzerland, Observatory of diversity and cultural rights
-“The complexities in practical terms: cultural practices contrary to human rights, possible limitations to cultural rights, and tensionsaround who defines culture and rights”, Mr. Kenneth Deer, Indigenous World Association
Discussion on topic 1 amongst experts, followed by questions and comments from participants
Lunch
15-18h / Topic 2: Relationship between cultural rights and cultural diversity
Moderator: Ms. Jane Connors, Chief, Special Procedures Branch, OHCHR
-“Cultural rights and cultural diversity, a relationship of mutual protection?” , Ms. Susanne Schnuttgen, UNESCO, Division of cultural policies and intercultural dialogue, Section on Cultural Policies, Programme Specialist and Chief a.i.
-“Cultural rights and globalizationof exchanges and of information”, Ms. Anita Gurumurthy, IT for Change, Executive Director.
-“Diverse cultural identities: the challenges of integrating cultural rights in policies and practice”,Ms. Dimitrina Petrova, Executive Director, The Equal Rights Trust.
Discussion on topic 2 amongst experts, followed by questions and comments from participants
Tuesday 2 February
10-12h45 / Topic 3 : Cultural rights, development and participation
Moderator: Ms. Jane Connors, Chief, Special Procedures Branch, OHCHR
-“Cultural rights and development processes, which questions, which issues at stake?”Ms. Josefa Salita Fransisco, Chairperson, International Studies Dept. Miriam College, Philippines.
-“Cultural rights and poverty”,Ms. Geneviève Defraigne Tardieu, ATD Quart monde.
-“The diverse forms of violence and exclusions in the enjoyment of cultural rights”, Ms. Angela Melo, UNESCO, Human Rights Section, Director.
Discussion on topic 3 amongst experts, followed by questions and comments from participants
12h45 / Conclusion
Which challenges and priorities for the Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights?
Ms. Farida Shaheed, Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights

Other invited experts:

-Mr. Ahmed Boukous, Moroccan National Council on Human Rights, Director of the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (Morocco).

-Ms. Marie-Aimée Hélie Lucas, Sociologist (Algeria / France)

-Mr. José Teixeira Coelho,University of Sao Paulo, School of Communication and Arts, Director of the ContemporaryArtsMuseum of the Sao PauloUniversity (Brazil).

-Mr. Jean-Bernard Marie, Director of research, National Center of Scientific Research (CNRS) (France).

-Mr. Abdulaye Sow, Lecturer in Social Sciences, Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Center on Cultural Rights, University ofNouakchott(Mauritania).

-Ms. Fatou Sow, Sociologist, Research Group on Women and Laws in Senegal(GREFELS) (Senegal).