UNESCO New Zealand

Overview

Background

Action

Sub Commission

Overview

The four pillars of UNESCO's Culture Programme are: Culture and Development, Heritage, Creativity, and Intercultural Dialogue. Fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace is the programme’s overarching objective as agreed to in the Medium Term Strategy 2008-2013.

Strategic objectives for the Culture Sub Commission programme for 2009 – 2010 are:

• Strengthening the contribution of culture to sustainable development;
• Demonstrating the importance of exchange and dialogue among cultures to social cohesion and reconciliation in order to develop a culture of peace; and
• Sustainably protecting and enhancing cultural heritage.

Background

To foster cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace is the NZ National Commission for UNESCO’s goal within its culture programme, in addition to its contribution to the three intersectoral goals of the current Strategic Plan for the years 2008 - 2009.

Priority activities include:

• developing interfaith and intercultural dialogue in New Zealand and the Pacific Sub-Region;
• promoting heritage including tangible and intangible heritage (languages, music, stories, traditions, customs, etc) through the existing standard setting instruments;
• supporting the preservation of cultural content; and
• celebrating cultural diversity.

Action

Interfaith

representatives from across the Pacific in Auckland. The two day meeting concluded that there was scope for further discussion, contingent on securing funding from UNESCO and others. In August 2008, the New Zealand National Commission organised a meeting of interfaith

Diversity Action Programme

Since the establishment of the Diversity Action Programme in 2004, the National Commission has been a supporting partner and has participated in each of the annual Diversity Action Forums held to co-ordinate activities of the Programme. In 2009, Pacific languages has been a focus for the National Commission’s involvement.

Holocaust Education

The National Commission joined forces with the Wellington Holocaust and Research Centre to co-ordinate activities for the UN Holocaust Memorial Day, 27 January, 2009. This was a new area of activity for the Culture Sub Commission, and was followed by attendance at a teachers’ seminar on the Holocaust in May.

Participation in courses and conferences

The Culture Sub Commission continues to support participation in courses run by the Asia Cultural Centre, based in Nara Japan, on such topics as training of young leaders, conservation techniques in timber preservation and archaeology.

World Heritage

One of the key programmes run by UNESCO in Paris, New Zealand has maintained its links with the programme of world heritage in the Pacific through attendance and support for participation by heritage experts at meetings.

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Sub Commission

Vacant

Chair

Elizabeth Beale

Creative New Zealand/Toi Aotearoa

Anton Carter

Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs

Kate McDonald

Ministry of Culture & Heritage/Te Manatu Taonga

Rhonda Paku
Te Papa Tongarewa, National Museum of NZ

Brian Pauling
Director, Media Policy and Research Centre
NZ Broadcasting School, Christchurch Polytechnic/Te Wānanga O Ōtautahi

Sen Thong
Ministry of Youth Development/ Te Manatū Whakahiato