World Summit on Arts and Culture 2009

World Summit on Arts and Culture 2009
Johannesburg, South Africa

Event summary

The National Arts Council of South Africa and the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA) will host the 4th World Summit on Arts and Culture. The Summit will incorporate South Africa’s Heritage Day on September 24, and throughout the week delegates will have the opportunity to attend performances at Arts Alive – Joburg’s annual art and culture festival.

On each morning of the Summit, keynote speakers will explore the "big issues": intercultural dialogue in a globalised world, cultural diversity in peace and conflict, and challenges in addressing cultural differences and synergies through support for the arts. According to the organisers, the keynote addresses (and the respondents) will set the tone for discussions around the primary themes, to provoke debate and to stimulate thinking in new directions for policy-makers. Following each keynote speech, panel sessions will examine more specific topics stemming from these issues such as: art as an instrument for public good, freedom of expression, the global economic downturn, art in conflict zones, climate change, and the arts and culture in post-Apartheid South Africa. Workshops or roundtable discussions will complement the programme and delegates will have a wide choice of workshops from which to select.

Proposed themes include:

* Sword or plough, bridge or dynamite: the arts as vehicles for intercultural dialogue in a globalised world
* Cultural diversity: essential for peace or the root of all conflict?
* Saving the arts...so the arts can save the world

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3 Comments

Comment by Shaheen Sultan Dhanji on June 4, 2009 at 5:55pm

yes, I am attending the summit. Where do I "accept" the invitation on this page?
thanks.

Comment by Craig Zelizer on June 4, 2009 at 4:15am

Thanks. I did my dissertation on the role of arts and peacebuilding and have a few publications on the topic. I am not involved with this conference in South Africa, just posted the information.

Comment by Sarah Queblatin on June 3, 2009 at 11:30am

this is fantastic! thanks for sharing :) i'm on a workshop right now with the buildabridge institute in philadelphia on transformative arts and community arts. im bringing back learnings with me for interfaith and peacebuilding work in the philippines. this event could be something i can look forward to to develop my field further.