Convention On The Protection and Promotion of The Diversity of Cultural Expressions - History

History

Since the late 1980s, a growing number of countries were showing concern that "the proliferation of trade agreements promoting absolute market liberalization dramatically increased the threat to cultural industries. Countries wishing to retain their right to enforce cultural policies risked being marginalized and unable to maintain their position."

• In 2001, the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity was adopted and May 21 was declared the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

The preliminary draft was drawn up over a series of two years, 2003-2005. The Director-General of UNESCO assigned fifteen experts to write a draft called the Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Contents and Artistic Expressions. Meetings were held for suggested improvements and the draft eventually led to the adoption of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions on October 20, 2005.

• 2003 to 2005 marked the years where negotiations at UNESCO started took place to create an international agreement that aims to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions.

• October 20, 2005: UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions was adopted.

• March 18, 2007: The Convention enters into force and three months later, the 56 Member States that ratified it meet in Paris for the first Conference of the Parties to begin work on implementing the Convention.

• June 18–20, 2007: First Session of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

• December 10–13, 2007: First Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

• June 24–26, 2008: First Extraordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

• December 8–12, 2008: Second Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

• March 23–25, 2009: Second Extraordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

• June 15–16, 2009: Second Session of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in Paris, France.

• December 7–9, 2009: Third Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

• November 29 / December 3, 2010: Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

• June 14–15, 2011: Third Session of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in Paris, France

• December 5–7, 2011: Fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

To date, 117 Member States as well as the European Union have ratified the Convention.