Caratula Infrastructure for Cultural Information Inter-American Observatory of Cultural Policy and the strengthening of States’ capabilities to categorize and process information Alice Abreu Director, Office of Education, Science and Technology, at the Second Meeting of CIC Washington, D.C., August, 2005

Initiatives in Cultural Information Big Umbrella --- The future Inter-American Observatory of Cultural Policy (IOCP) Objectives Initiative proposed and approved at Ministerial Level, Cartagena, 2002 Overcome the existing weakness in the cultural sector throughout the region, which is: “marginalized, fragmented and lacks sufficient visibility…” “use of resources and power – both qualitative and quantitative – that culture offers, to strengthen government management, development and regional integration” HOW  Gathering and dissemination of specialized information on the cultural sector,  Promotion of research and compilation of data on cultural policies and cultural diversity  Contribution to the design of indicators Informational arm of CIC Participation of non-governmental actors should be ensured. Network of information providers in each country Creation of on-line information capabilities

Initiatives in Cultural Information Big Umbrella --- The future Inter-American Observatory of Cultural Policy (IOCP) Initiative proposed and approved at Ministerial Level, Cartagena, 2002 HOW  Gathering and dissemination of specialized information on the cultural sector,  Promotion of research and compilation of data on cultural policies and cultural diversity  Contribution to the design of indicators Informational arm of CIC Participation of non-governmental actors should be ensured. Network of information providers in each country Creation of on-line information capabilities

Feasibility Study 1 Janaury - August EVOLUTION OF IOCP OF CARTAGENA August 2004 Structure Management Commission Authorities Sub Regional Centers Business Plan Pre – web page II Ministerial Decision April - August 2004

 STRUCTURE : BUSINESS PLAN: THE IOCP’S STRUCTURE Central Level Management Commission Technical Secretariat OAS/OEST  CIC Authorities  Centers Barbados Brazil Colombia Nicaragua Dominican Republic  Be the link between the sub regions  Establish research categories and priorities  IOCP guidelines and rules of procedure

HOW AND WHERE DOES THE INFORMATION COME FROM? “ An information infrastructure already exists; but it is not strong enough to attain results by simply building connections between the many existing constituent bodies” (Dr. Isar, Feasibility Study of the IOCP) 1. MEMBER STATES, CULTURE AUTHORITIES 2. INFORMATION NETWORK (RESEARCHERS, EXISTING OBSERVATORIES OF CULTURAL POLICIES, NOGs) 3. NATIONAL STATISTICS Need to strengthen capacity, build alliances and create infrastructure:

A PARALLEL, PROGRESSIVE AND PACED PROCESS SUB REGIONAL WORKSHOPS SUB REGIONAL WORKSHOPS APPROVED BY THE FIRST CIC Transference of national Cultural Information Systems looking at the experiences of Canada, Mexico and Chile  Sub Regional Workshops –  Caribbean Region (Canada)  Central America (Mexico)  Andean Countries and Mercosur (Chile and Convenio Andr é s Bello) Planning Meeting, Washington, D.C. June 2005  Establish a common ground and analysis of Stat ’ s realities 1. STRENGTHENING OF CULTURAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS (CIS) IN MEMBER STATES

A PARALLEL, PROGRESSIVE AND PACED PROCESS OBSERVATORIES, ACADEMIC AND INT. ORGANIZ NETWORKS OBSERVATORIES – Initial Group – First Meeting held on August 24, 2005  Cultural Observatory (Buenos Aires / University  Canadian Cultural Observatory (Government)  Observatory of Urban Culture (Colombia/ Local Government)  Observatory of the Colombian Caribbean (Independent)  Observatory of Local Cultural Policies (Independent)  Observatory of Cultural Policies (Venezuela/Linked with the Ministry)  Center for Arts and Culture (United States) RESEARCHERS AND COALITIONS OF UNIONS IN THE FIELD OF CULTURE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS – INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION 2. INFORMATION NETWORK

A PARALLEL, PROGRESSIVE AND PACED PROCESS SATELLITE ACCOUNTS (UNESCO INST STAT, CAB, IDB FOUNDATION CULTURE SATELLITE ACCOUNTS – Plan of Action of Mexico states: “ support OAS Member States interested in the development of cultural satellite accounts and offer technical assistance on indicators, when appropriate, through and alliance with the Institute of Statistics of UNESCO ” CREATING ALLIANCES – METHODOLOGICAL TRANSFERENCE  Colombian satellite account and transference to Chile, methodological design  Convenio Andrés Bello Project, with the support of the Inter- American Development Bank  Priority Area for action of the recently created Inter- American Foundation for Culture and Development  Experience of the Institute of Statistics of UNESCO 3. CULTURAL STATISTICS

A PARALLEL, PROGRESSIVE AND PACED PROCESS 1. SUB REGIONAL WORKSHOPS 2. INFORMATION NETWORK 1. STRENGTHENING OF CULTURAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS (CIS) IN MEMBER STATES 2. OBSERVATORIES, RESEARCHERS AND INT. ORGANIZ. 3. CULTURAL STATISTICS 3. SATELLITE ACCOUNTS CIC GUIDELINES THROUGH THE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION OF THE FUTURE IOCP (CIC Authorities and Sub Regional Centers)

ADVANTAGES 1. Strengthens States’ capacities to gather information and data; starting from a common ground, the sub regional Cultural Information Workshops. 2. Alliances are created – different information sources and knowledge 3. IOCP Management Commission ca, starting with the alliances, define working mechanisms at different levels and based on the structure and Rules of Procedure of the IOCP 4. Facilitates the search for funds for specific projects with concrete activities, such as the establishment of cultural information systems in Member States to strengthen national capacity in data collection, categorization and interpretation of information, trustworthy and comparable data