UIS Global Culture Statistics Programme 2008 José Pessoa Programme Specialist – UIS Culture Statistics Programme

Presentation Topics l The Role of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) l UIS Culture Programme of Work l How do you Measure Culture?

The Reasons for Establishing the UIS l To centralize and promote statistical work in UNESCO l To provide a focal point within UNESCO for relations with outside agencies, as ‘lead’ agency for education, culture, communications, science, and technology l To co-ordinate statistical capacity building activities in Member States l To improve the quality and policy relevance of statistical systems l To promote evidence-based policy nationally and internationally (recognizing the complexity of the relationship between research and policy)

The Reasons for Establishing the UIS Continued… ‘Lead agency’ brings responsibilities to ensure the needs of a wide community are met Important to focus on UNESCO ’s role  promoting understanding  empowering ‘ ordinary ’ people  reducing inequities in access and opportunities  fostering a sense of identity and social cohesion  valuing diversity  countering prejudice and cultural imperialism  improving the quality of life

The Roles of UIS Monitoring and tracking the effectiveness of aid Collection and Guardianship of cross- national databases Analysis and interpretation of cross- national data Technical capacity building in data collection and use Methodological and technical development Advocacy for evidence-based policies Promoting good practice in statistics Maintaining and supporting international classifications

Principles underpinning the work of the UIS Data should not be collected for their own sake but because they are needed for policy purposes Countries should be fully involved in determining what data should be collected, with what frequency and how Response burden on countries should be minimized Co-ordination with other international agencies is paramount Methodology should be used which is appropriate to the circumstances Data collection requires resources, and expertise (So the technical capacity building must be integrated with the data strategy) Data are owned by countries and they should be assisted in making use of them Data should be collected and used in a way that is culturally sensitive and recognizes that they are culturally grounded

Efficient use of resources Consistency over time and space Accessibility and affordability Validity and reliability Comparability through standards Relevance to policy Potential for disaggregation Currency and punctuality Coherence across sources Clarity and transparency Improving Data Quality

Tension Between Nationally Specific and Cross-Nationally Comparable Data Purpose of global cross-national data is to provide the global picture:  for advocacy  resource mobilization, engaging donors, demonstrating commitment  accountability of governments For purposes of comparison  learning from one another - to show what can be achieved  benchmarking  act as a catalyst for debate

UIS Culture Statistics Programme: l 6 surveys covering; museums, libraries (national/public and tertiary), films and cinemas and book production l UIS undertook review of Culture and Communications Programme è Data quality issues with old database è Focused mainly on the institutional and infrastructure aspects of Culture and Communication

UIS Culture Statistics Programme: Three Priorities 1. Methodology and Standards »2009 Framework for Cultural Statistics 2. Culture Surveys »Feature Film Statistics and others.. 3. Monitoring »Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions »World Heritage

1. Methodology and Standards: l 2009 Framework for Cultural Statistics è Consultation Process »Global and Regional è FCS Task Force »Meet in February 2009 »Draft Final FCS Report è Process »Presentation at UNESCO General Conference (October-November 2009)

2. Culture Surveys: l Questionnaire on Feature Film Statistics è Launched in 2007 è Data for reference years 2005 and 2006 è Measures the feature film industry: »Significant economic impact »Cultural practice with high mass participation »Key industry for cultural diversity è Establishes a new international benchmark for measuring trends in cinema attendance and participation

2. Culture Surveys continued…: l Other potential surveys è Culture Participation è Design è Music è Book Productions è Media è Cultural Trade è Others?

Priority 3: Monitoring l Diversity of Cultural Expressions è 1 st Expert Group Meeting on the Statistical Measurement of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions »The meeting marked “the beginning of an exploratory process and was a necessary first step to discuss basic definitions and the possibilities, as well as the limits, of the task of measuring the diversity of cultural expressions” (EGM Final Report 2007)

Priority 3: Monitoring Continued… l Conclusion of 1 st EGM è A first step was made in addressing the question of using statistical evidence in public policy-making, for the purpose of implementing the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions è The meeting established the new UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics as the key reference in developing operational definitions è The diversity of cultural expressions should be measured both at the national and international levels. Relevant definitions to examine social diversity need to be explicitly debated. The enabling environment, i.e. the conditions that allow diversity to flourish, should also be taken into account

Priority 3: Monitoring Continued… l Conclusion of 1 st EGM continued… è The meeting identified as an immediate priority determining what statistical information is already available from official sources, and to what extent it is comparable è It also recognised as a next priority the definition of a basic set of variables or measurements, in a critical list of sectors, for universal collection è Commissioned research study on the availability of data l 2 nd Expert Group Meeting è December

Culture is Big Business!

Industries of the Future ! “The industries of the imagination, content, knowledge, innovation and creativity clearly are the industries of the future … they are also important contributory factors to employment and economic growth.” ‘Action Plan’. Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies for Development, Stockholm, UNESCO 1999.

Expected Growth in Culture Industries! ” The growth of the creative is likely to outgrow all other economic areas. Creative products are the basis not only of information and new technologies but of the entire modern economy, from software to shoes. The way we treat the economics of ideas and inventions obviously affects all social, cultural, ideological and political issues. How we decide and who decides, whether the ownership of ideas and inventions should be private or public has a powerful impact of the kind of society we build for ourselves. A society that stifles or misuses its creative resources, and signs up to the wrong property contract, cannot prosper. But if we understand and manage this new creative economy, individuals will profit and society will be rewarded. “ John Howkins, The Creative Economy, 2001

Cultural Industries % contribution to GDP (OECD)

Statistical Measurement of Culture: A Challenge for UIS l What are the policy priorities at the International Level? National Level? l How can we measure them? l How to measure “Social” component? l Funds for “Culture Statistics” are limited!

Statistical Measurement of Culture: A Challenge for UIS Continued… l We need an International Framework – (UNESCO FCS) as well as National Frameworks. l Develop an International “Culture “Indicators” Framework l How to measure “Intangible Heritage”? l National Statistical Capacity is required

How do we Measure Culture?: Performance

How do we Measure Culture?: Traditions and Heritage

How do we Measure Culture?: Is modern architecture culture?

How do we Measure Culture?: What do we want to measure? l Economic aspects? l Social aspects? l Tangible Heritage? l Intangible Heritage?

Thank You!