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Transcultura showcased at the UNESCO World Conference on Culture and Arts Education
As part of the UNESCO World Conference on Culture and Arts Education (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 13 to 15 February 2024), the UNESCO programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity, funded by the European Union, participated in a side event on ‘Cultivating Creativity: Nurturing and Empowering Innovators in Cultural and Creative Industries’, which took place on 14 February 2024 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
The event included a panel discussion with specialists from different entities representing governments, universities, civil society organizations and private companies across the globe. In parallel, a photographic exhibition showcased the best practices and achievements of Transcultura. The programme, which aims to provide career opportunities for young culture professionals in the Caribbean, is one of UNESCO’s most ambitious initiatives in promoting Culture and Arts Education for the creative economy.
We need to equip current and future generations with the skills and knowledge to adapt to this digital environment, ensure fair remuneration for creators and promote cultural diversity online.
The panel was moderated by Antigoni Komidiki (Junior Achievement Cyprus) with interventions from Diana Filip (Junior Achievement Europe), Paolo Montemurro (Materahub), Alessandra Borchi (UNESCO Transcultura Programme Coordinator), Elena Marinoni (Istituto Marangoni Dubai), Woo Yen Yen (Lasalle College of the Arts / University of the Arts Singapore), Stavros V. Kyriakides (Kyriakides Piano Gallery and Avant-Garde Foundation) and Thekla Papantoniou (Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO).
Speakers underlined the importance of interdisciplinary skills development, entrepreneurship and ethical considerations in the cultural and creative industries. They emphasized the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration to bridge gaps and offer holistic learning experiences that nurture innovation, inclusion and integrity within the cultural sector.
Cultural and arts education is the cornerstone of professionalization in the sector, and through initiatives like the Caribbean Cultural Training Hub, the digitization of training and entrepreneurship courses, Transcultura is paving the way for a new generation of empowered culture professionals in the Caribbean.
The side event was attended by the Minister of Education of the Republic of Cuba, Ms Naima Ariatne Trujillo Barreto. Cuba hosts several educational institutions of the Caribbean Cultural Training Hub created by the Transcultura programme to enhance cultural and creative skills and capacities of young cultural professionals across the region.
