Regional training of trainers on cultural policy monitoring in Asia
The UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions supports governments and civil society to design and implement policies that encourage the creation, production, distribution of and access to diverse cultural goods and services. To achieve this goal, UNESCO has run a capacity-building programme on participatory policy monitoring since 2014 with the support of the Government of Sweden.
As part of a continuing effort to strengthen the network of cultural policy makers and improve monitoring and data collection in the cultural and creative sectors, UNESCO brings together, for the first time ever, cultural policy makers and UNESCO representatives across Asia for a 3-day training on cultural policy monitoring on 30 July - 1 August 2019 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The training of trainers explores how partner countries from Asia could engage in transparent and participatory policy monitoring processes through support mechanisms provided by the 2005 Convention. The sessions are designed to be highly practical, with multiple team exercises.
In particular, participants will learn how to effectively fill out a quadrennial periodic report (QPR), an obligatory form submitted by Parties to the Convention every four years. The QPRs, consisted of detailed questions on the current state of cultural policies and the cultural and creative sectors, reveal achievements and challenges encountered by each Party over the past four years.
Participants include representatives from 9 countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam), selected members of the UNESCO Expert Facility, and UNESCO staff from Jakarta, Beijing, Dhaka, Bangkok, Ha Noi and Headquarters; this unprecedented gathering of cultural workers from across the Asian region reflects the Convention's commitment to peer-to-peer learning and South-South cooperation.
After the Training of Trainers, the participants are expected to share their newly gained knowledge about the 2005 Convention and the importance of cultural policy monitoring with their colleagues and national counterparts across the region, hence expanding the global circle of cultural policy advocates.
