UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
05/23/2023 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/23/2023 06:35
UNESCO’s Aschberg programme promotes artistic freedom & status of the artists in Southern Africa
During the 9th World Summit on Arts & Culture on Thursday 4 May, 2023, UNESCO announced over US$ 1 million investment to better protect the status of the artist through the 25 projects selected following the 2022 UNESCO-Aschberg programme call for projects to support initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting artistic freedom, including the status of the artist. The announcement also started the celebration of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development celebrated every year on 21 May.
270
applications received
from governments and Civil Society Organizations (CSO)
12
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
highest rated projects were selected
4 of 25
selected projects
are from Southern African governments as well as PEN Africa
PEN Africa, a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting freedom of expression, and encouraging the growth and strengthening of literature.
Below are brief descriptions of the four victorious projects:
Supporting Zimbabwean cultural and creative industries in their transition to the formal economy
Submitted by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe
The project aims to create conditions for the transition of local cultural and creative industries from a highly informal sector to a formal one that takes into consideration the improvement of the status of artists and cultural professionals in Zimbabwe. It will contribute to the implementation of the "National Cultural and Creative Industries Strategy (2020-2030)" and the "National Strategy on Transition from Informal to the Formal Economy in Zimbabwe" (2022 - 2030).
Development of Regulations for the Establishment of the Malawi National Cultural Trust Fund
Submitted by the Department of Arts of Malawi
The project will develop regulations for the establishment and operationalization of the Malawi National Cultural Trust Fund. The expert facility being requested will support the Malawi Government in putting down regulations for operationalizing and managing the Trust Fund which is being proposed in the National Arts and Heritage Bill. These guidelines will include such things as disbursement modalities, setting up of committee, as well as a resource mobilization strategy to ensure that the Fund is well resourced to achieve its objectives
Promotion and Protection of the Right to Write in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia
Submitted by PEN International (covered also by UNESCO Nairobi)
The goal of the project is to protect and promote artistic freedom and the protection of writers in five African countries (Kenya, Malawi, South Africa (Afrikaans), Uganda Zambia) through public dialogue and advocacy by promoting the role and status of writers. The project will help frame and publicize key themes which focus on the status of the artist, highlight and advocate on key recommendations necessary to the protection, promotion of artistic expression in line with the 1980 UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of the Artist.
Drafting of regulation for the National Arts Fung Act (Act 1 of 2005) of Namibia
The project aims to develop regulations for the National Arts Fund Act in order to ensure compliance and gazetting if the act. The draft regualtion will not only ensure the registaration of people people in the arts and creative industry but will ensure that artists are supported through decent work and good reputation.
The United Nations General Assembly first declared this World Day in 2002, to "enhance the potential of culture as a means of achieving prosperity, sustainable development and global peaceful coexistence".