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Legarda Urges Malacañang to Sign UNESCO Convention on Protection and Promotion of Cultural Diversity
March 19, 2011
Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and a staunch advocate of the preservation of cultural heritage, has appealed to Malacañang for the latter to sign the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
Legarda explained that the Convention is a legally-binding international agreement that recognizes the importance of traditional knowledge, knowledge systems of indigenous peoples and its positive contribution to sustainable development. It also encourages artists, cultural professionals, practitioners and citizens worldwide to create, produce, disseminate and enjoy a broad range of cultural goods, services and activities.
"The Convention was adopted in 2005 and entered into force as early as 2007. The speed of its entry clearly showed the urgency and political commitment for action by the international community."
"With 116 state parties to date, the Philippines should follow suit and make cultural preservation as one of the country's priorities," Legarda stressed.
"By not being a state party to this Convention, we have been missing out on the opportunity to access the International Fund for Cultural Diversity, a fund which could have supported activities geared towards the strengthening of institutional infrastructure and cultural industries, mapping of our cultural communities, funding for research and education, and the preservation of our dying art forms, among others," Legarda emphasized.
"The International Fund was created for the promotion of sustainable development and poverty reduction in developing and least developed countries through the emergence of a dynamic cultural sector."
"UNESCO recognizes that culture can no longer be a by-product of development, but rather the mainspring for sustainable development. Thirty-one projects out of 250 requests for funding by state parties and international NGOs have been approved by the Convention's Intergovernmental Committee during the 1st call for applications launched in March 2010."
"I remain hopeful that Malacañang will act on this Convention with dispatch and join in the efforts to protect Philippine contemporary art as well as the customs, handicrafts, and way of life of our more than 110 ethno-linguistic groups all over the country," Legarda concluded.
Legarda: UNESCO Convention sa Cultural Diversity, Dapat Nang Pirmahan ng Malakanyang
March 19, 2011
Hiniling ni Senador Loren Legarda sa Malakanyang na pumirma na sa United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
Pinuno si Legarda ng Senate Committee on Cultural Communities at aktibong tagapagsulong ng pangangalaga sa cultural heritage ng bansa.
Ayon kay Legarda, ang naturang convention ay isang international agreement na kumikilala sa kahalagahan ng katutubong kaalaman, karunungan at pamamaraan sa pag-unlad ng bansa.
Hinihimok din ng naturang kasunduan ang mga artista, manggagawang cultural, mga propesyunal at mga mamamayan na patuloy na lumikha at makibahagi sa sining at kulturang Pilipino.
"Itong Convention na ito ay pinagtibay noong 2005 at nagkaroon ng bisa noong 2007. Kaya naging ganito kabilis ang pagsikad ng batas na ito ay indikasyon ng political commitment ng maraming bansa. Sa ngayon, pirmado na ito ng 116 state parties. Ang Pilipinas dapat pumirma na din," paliwanag ni Legarda.
Habang hindi pumupirma ang Pilipinas sa naturang convention, hindi nito maa-access ang International Fund for Cultural Diversity.
"Ang naturang pondo ay puwede nating gamitin para suportahan ang mga gawaing magpapalakas ng mga institusyon na nangangalaga at nagpapayabong sa sining at kultura. Magagamit ito sa mapping ng cultural communities, research at education, pati na ang preserbasyon ng mga porma ng sining na unti-unti nang nalilimutan," ani Legarda.
"Kinikilala ng UNESCO na ang kultura ng isang bansa ay hindi bunga ng kaunlaran kundi isang salalayan o pundasyon ng likas-kayang pag-unlad o sustainable development. Sa 250 bansa at international NGOs na humingi ng pondo, 31 na ang naaprubahan matapos ang unang panawagan para sa mga application noong March 2010," ayon kay Legarda.
"Tayo ay umaasa na pipirmahan ito ng Malakanyang sa lalong madaling panahon. Ito ay mabisang paraan para pangalagaan ang makabagong sining at ang katutubong kultura, partikular na ang pamamaraan ng pamumuhay ng 110 ethno-linguistic groups sa buong bansa," dagdag ng senador.
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