Dr Kris Rampersad praised for locally empowering and championing ratification.

In conjunction with the Commonwealth Foundation, the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (IFCCD) facilitated three very important regional meetings in Port-of-Spain in 2007, with Dr Kris Rampersad and, as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, again in 2009.

The International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity head, Ouedraogo also thanked the Commonwealth Foundation, and its programme director for culture, Andrew Firmin, for supporting these initiatives “The UNESCO Convention was intended to counterbalance trade agreements and affirm the sovereign right of countries to promote the expression of their own cultural diversity by adopting appropriate policies and measures.

As for any other international legal instrument, universal acceptance through rapid ratification by a large number of countries, from all regions, is essential to give the Cultural Diversity Convention its full legitimacy in the international legal system,” stated Ouedraogo.

He however added that this is only the beginning of a long journey towards implementation, and warned that it would indeed be regrettable to see the Convention fail through poor implementation.

Ouedraogo expressed the feeling that the Government must now take up the challenge of actually using the Convention it sought to have. He stated: “It is vital that the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago are satisfied that by ratifying the Convention, their Government has begun to take action to ensure that the countries diversity of cultural expressions is rightfully protected and promoted.”

Ouedraogo then outlined three steps the Government must take at this time. The first would be for the people of TT, and especially the cultural sector, artistes and creative industries, to be informed of their rights and of the international commitment made by their Government.

The second, for the country to take stock of the current level of protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions and define the roadmap of measures that could be taken to achieve the Convention’s objectives and the third, for Government to adopt a law specifically addressing how it intends to implement the Convention, which could prove very useful to ensure coordination between the various ministries and agencies involved.

MONDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2010

Trinidad and Tobago’s Newsday : newsday.co.tt :

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