Project
Support to Chile: Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
Within the framework of this initiative, carried out in 2023 and 2024, emphasis was placed on the importance of participatory cultural governance and the recognition of civil society as a guarantor and driver of initiatives for the protection and promotion of cultural diversity.
Context
The State of Chile is one of the countries that are part of UNESCO’s 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Every four years, these countries must submit a report outlining the measures and policies implemented, as well as the results achieved following the ratification and implementation of this multilateral instrument.
Chile’s Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage (MINCAP) is responsible for preparing the country’s Quadrennial Periodic Report on compliance with the 2005 Convention. In this context, MINCAP has promoted an increasingly broad participatory process in the preparation of Chile’s Quadrennial Periodic Reports submitted to UNESCO as part of its accountability efforts. The periodic reporting cycle for 2024 involved the participation of officials from various ministries and public services, as well as members and organisations from civil society. As a result, a report was prepared detailing 54 measures and policies implemented by various public and private organisations in Chile’s cultural and artistic sector to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions.
Phases
Technical Support
During 2023, the UNESCO Office in Santiago, Chile, provided technical support for the preparation of the Fourth Quadrennial Periodic Report (QPR), to be submitted in 2024, for MINCAP. This process was guided by technical assistance from consultant Lázaro Rodríguez, an expert in cultural diversity and policy. He facilitated training sessions, monitoring, and evaluation activities with the various stakeholders involved in the Fourth QPR. Rodríguez also participated in the discussion panel “Culture as a Global Public Good: Reflections on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions”, held in July 2023.
Participatory Process
For the first time, the Fourth QPR incorporated a participatory approach to the identification of measures and policies, through the establishment of a National Drafting Committee (NDC). This committee was composed of various public and private sector organisations, including ministries, universities, foundations, and professional associations from the cultural sector. As a complement to the NDC, an open consultation was conducted via the National Register of Cultural, Artistic, and Heritage Agents, inviting civil society cultural and artistic organisations from across Chile to contribute to the identification of policies and measures.
Presentation of Results
In October 2024, the International Seminar "Civil Society as a Driver of Cultural Diversity" was organised, where the key findings of the Quadrennial Periodic Report were presented. The event fostered dialogue on cultural governance and capacity-building within civil society organisations, with a focus on participatory cultural policies. The seminar highlighted the importance of collaboration between the public sector and civil society as a fundamental pillar for improving cultural governance. Key topics discussed included access to funding, technology, data transparency, and the creation of strategic alliances.
The event aimed to strengthen the role of civil society in the implementation of the 2005 Convention, offering training sessions and updated digital content. Researchers Lázaro Rodríguez, Fabiola Leiva, and Mauricio Delfín analysed the challenges of community-led cultural governance, particularly at the regional level, and underscored the need for the cultural sector to engage with other sectors of society.
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