Embrace Pacific diversity, promote intercultural dialogue

In 2002, May 21 was declared as the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The day presents an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to advance the four goals of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions adopted on 20 October 2005:

 

  • Support sustainable systems of governance for culture
  • Achieve a balanced flow of cultural goods and services and increase mobility of artists and cultural professionals
  • Integrate culture in sustainable development frameworks
  • Promote human rights and fundamental freedoms

 

What does this look like at the Pacific Community (SPC) and for our Blue Pacific Continent? SPC is institutional custodian of the Pacific Regional Culture Strategy (2022 – 2032) and of the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) a role that it fulfils in partnership with its member countries through the Council of Pacific Arts and Culture.

 

 

Through its Human Rights and Social Development (HRSD) Division, SPC has committed to promoting, and safeguarding positive expressions of culture. Culture is one of the HRSD Division’s four priority areas, with a focus on protecting Pacific peoples’ cultures, arts and languages so that it thrives. This is achieved by working with relevant stakeholders to ensure cultural knowledge and the interests of Pacific peoples are protected and dynamic in development policy/ programming.

 

HRSD’s engagement in establishing and maintaining meaningful partnerships and collaborative efforts is guided by Pacific cultural values that emphasise the importance of relationships, interdependence and reciprocity. In close alignment to UNESCO’s four goals of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression, the following results are what SPC is striving towards:

 

  • Cultural knowledge is protected and dynamic in development policy/programming.
  • Regional leadership improves implementation of human rights and social development priorities at a national level. 
  • Human rights and social development knowledge inform national policies and development programmes. 

 

The Pacific Regional Culture Strategy 2022 -2032 (PRCS) was endorsed by Culture Ministers in April of 2022 and launched at the Pacific Leaders Forum in July of the same year. A guiding policy for culture and sustainable development, the PRCS identifies five key priorities: Cultural policy frameworks, Cultural heritage, Cultural wellbeing, Cultural innovation and Cultural statistics. Three cross-cutting priorities include Cultural Research, Youth and Capacity strengthening.

 

The PRCS represents an important milestone in regional development in its complementarity with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and other leading regional policy frameworks. It advocates for culture as both a critical standalone and cross-cutting sustainable development priority and provides an opportunity to strengthen our efforts towards contextually relevant and culture-inclusive development approaches.

 

 

In an attempt to better understand the culture in Pacific development landscape, SPC held 2-days of roundtables on May 4 and 5 with CROP agencies and UN agencies whose mandates and programmes cover various dimensions and elements of culture.  Outcomes of the convening included a mapping of culture in development and consensus of the need to regularise culture roundtable discussions to strengthen collaboration and improve coordination of this important area of work.

A 2-day workshop was also held from May 16 and 17 with the Council of Pacific Arts and Culture to discuss the outcomes of the 2022 Mondiacult World Conference on Culture Policies and Sustainable Development with PRCS implementation. The first PRCS five-year implementation plan and Resource Mobilisation Plan will be presented to the Council and to Culture Ministers in their upcoming meetings in Noumea, in June this year.

 

May 21 marks a significant occasion that acts as a reminder of the immense value of our diverse Pacific cultures and the importance of fostering dialogue for sustainable development. The region is blessed with an extraordinary array of cultures, traditions, languages, and customs which remain central to our identities and to our collective resilience.

 

Cultural diversity plays a vital role in our development as a region. The exchange of ideas, knowledge, and skills across different cultures fuels innovation, creativity, and progress. By nurturing our cultural diversity, we unlock a world of possibilities for economic growth, social cohesion, and sustainable development.

 

The Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022 marking twelve festivals hosted by various countries in 4-year cycles since 1972. As highlighted in a recent festival review, FestPAC is:

 

…the world's largest celebration of indigenous Pacific Islanders, drawing artists, cultural practitioners, scholars and officials from member nations of the Pacific Community (SPC, 2021). Held every four years, the Festival supports the preservation and continuing innovation of Pacific arts and culture, and has developed into a key space of sharing between cultures of the Pacific, and of enhancing and appreciation of knowledge in the Pacific region. FestPAC aims to preserve and revive traditional arts and cultures, explore new cultural activities, create awareness, foster a sense of unity, and promote the development and use of ethical indigenous languages. 

As one of the largest and most mature indigenous festivals of the world, FestPAC provides an important platform for cultural conservation and revitalisation, creativity and innovation, and cultural diplomacy within the Pacific region. The 13th FestPAC is scheduled to take place in Hawaii from June 6 – 16, 2024 and the 14th festival has been confirmed to take place in New Caledonia in 2028.

 

May 21 provides an opportunity to reflect and remember the importance of safeguarding our cultural and natural heritage which are inherently intertwined. Our traditional practices, arts, music, and storytelling are invaluable treasures that connect us to our roots. They are a source of inspiration, identity, and pride for generations to come. As we celebrate our cultural diversity, let us also commit to safeguarding and promoting positive expressions of culture for the benefit of present and future Pacific peoples.

 

 

Our cultural heritage is a reflection of the richness of our histories and the resilience of our people and it is in embracing and honouring this diversity that we enable the social cohesion required to build more inclusive and harmonious societies.

 

Dialogue is the foundation for building bridges between cultures, breaking down barriers, and cultivating a sense of unity. By promoting development dialogue, we can learn from one another, appreciate our differences, and finding common ground to address the shared challenges that we face as a region.

Today, let us embrace the beauty of our diverse Pacific cultures and work together to promote dialogue, understanding, and development. Together, we can create a more inclusive future, where cultural diversity is celebrated, and every voice is heard. We recall the vision of the PRCS: Together, we envision a future where Pacific region cultures are vibrant, visible, and valued for the empowerment, wellbeing and prosperity of our people.

 

Happy World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development!

 

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Samantha Rina

Communications, Visibility and Engagement Officer - Human Rights and Social Development (HRSD)
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