ASEF’s support to contemporary creativity in Asia and Europe – particularly in the area of cultural mobility – has been also recognised by UNESCO as a good practice. Two projects were acknowledged: Mobility First!, ASEF’s travel grant for artists and the 53 Mobility Funding Guides published on culture360.ASEF.org. UNESCO’s recognition comes in Re-shaping Cultural Policies (2018), its biennial global report on advancing creativity in development.
In line with SDG 17.17 (civil society partnerships), ASEF supports civil society participation at UNESCO, with focus on the intergovernmental dialogue on contemporary creativity & its role in sustainable development. Here, civil society refers to non-governmental organisations, non-profit organisations, professionals in the culture sector and associated sectors, groups that support the work of artists and cultural communities
Since the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, formal consultations have been increasingly used by international organisations to solicit public input into global policy-making on sustainable development. Today, civil society participation is considered an integral part of the deliberations of UNESCO member States, particularly on the topic of advancing creativity for development. ASEF supports this institutionalisation of civil society participation in existing intergovernmental institutions in the following ways:
- Co-ordinating the preparation of biennial civil society reports on the arts (with policy recommendations) for UNESCO member States in 2019 & 2017
- Participating in the Conference of Parties and the Intergovernmental Committee meetings of UNESCO member States (2019, 2018, 2017, 2009)
- Presenting the key messages of biennial civil society reports to UNESCO member States at the Conference of Parties at UNESCO Headquarters (2017)
- Participating in the Civil Society Forums at UNESCO:
- ASEF moderated the workshop on How to overcome obstacles to the mobility of artists and cultural professionals? at the second Civil Society Forum at UNESCO Headquarters on 4 June 2019
- ASEF presented on Asian issues and challenges at the first Civil Society Forum at UNESCO Headquarters on 12 June 2017. Read the report of this forum here.
- Presenting to UNESCO member States on trends, issues & challenges in international cultural co-operation:
- ASEF joined the panel, Participative Policy Monitoring to Promote the Diversity of Cultural Expressions on 14 June 2017 at the 6th Conference of Parties (COP6) at UNESCO Headquarters
- ASEF joined the panel, Ensuring Artistic Freedom: A Public Policy Challenge on 3 May 2017 at World Press Freedom Day in Jakarta, Indonesia
- ASEF joined the panel, Participative Policy Monitoring to Promote the Diversity of Cultural Expressions on 14 June 2017 at the 6th Conference of Parties (COP6) at UNESCO Headquarters
- Moderating conversations with governments at UNESCO platforms:
- ASEF moderated the panel, Re-Shaping Cultural Policies for the Status of Artists and Artistic Freedom on 4 May 2017 at World Press Freedom Day in Jakarta, Indonesia, discussing censorship in the arts with government officials from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia & Viet Nam
- Compiling best practices on contemporary creativity for UNESCO member States (see Mapping Cultural Diversity publication, 2010)