For three days, 18 independent experts from UNESCO have been meeting in Quebec. The mission of this working group was to launch a major international reflection on the urgency of including (or not) in the organization’s treaties measures guaranteeing the diversity of cultural expressions in the digital world.
As this first meeting ended on Thursday, Quebec Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe seemed optimistic. “It’s one thing to feel the interest of the experts, but it’s another to see that they are at work and recognize the leadership role that Quebec plays on this issue,” said the man who was the one of the hosts of this meeting, with his federal counterpart, Pascale St-Onge.
At the opening of the meeting, the experts had the opportunity to hear representatives from around fifty organizations bringing together Canadian and Quebec cultural professionals. The opening conference also included an indigenous cultural segment.
Minister Lacombe also welcomed better collaboration with the federal government on this occasion. A meeting was also held between him and Mme St-Onge, on the sidelines of that of the experts.
Among the latter we find law professor Véronique Guèvremont, who recently co-signed a report on the subject with constitutionalist Patrick Taillon, diplomat Clément Duhaime and former minister Louise Beaudoin. Also on this committee of experts is Professor Destiny Tchéhouali, holder of the UNESCO Chair in communication and technologies for development at the University of Quebec in Montreal.
This reflection aims to submit recommendations to the 18e session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which will be held next February. But it could also influence the resolution that will be adopted at the Francophonie Summit to be held in Villers-Cotterêts, France, on October 4 and 5.
Minister Mathieu Lacombe does not hide his wish that the Francophonie comes out in favor of such a resolution, as it did in 2004, before the adoption of the Convention at UNESCO. In April, he met his French counterpart, Rachida Dati. “In order to prepare the ground,” said the minister, a series of meetings is also planned with other countries, particularly African and European.
Concretely, this involves amending and modernizing the Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, adopted by UNESCO in 2005 and signed by 153 countries. Convention at the initiative of which Quebec then played a leading role. At the time, there was obviously no question of digital technology, which has since become one of the very first vehicles for disseminating culture.
This is why the think tank has set four work priorities: the linguistic diversity of cultural content, their accessibility on the Internet, the transparency of digital platforms and the effects of artificial intelligence.
At the same time, Mr. Lacombe launched a consultation intended to prepare a Quebec bill improving access to French-speaking digital content. It must continue until July 8.