International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity

International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity
Name	International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity
Type	Non-governmental organization
Founded	2004
Location	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Fields	Cultural diversity, cultural policy, arts advocacy

Contents

International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity is an international non-governmental network that represents national and regional coalitions working on cultural diversity and cultural policy. The federation links advocacy groups across continents to engage with multilateral institutions such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Trade Organization, United Nations, Council of Europe, and regional bodies like the African Union and the European Union. It acts as an interlocutor among civil society organizations including the International Council on Monuments and Sites, International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, International Network for Cultural Policy, and national ministries such as the Ministry of Culture (France), Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Canadian Heritage.

History

The federation was established in 2004 following consultations inspired by the adoption of the Universal Declaration of UNESCO initiatives and the negotiations leading to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Early convenings included actors from the African Union, Organization of American States, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and coalitions from countries such as Canada, France, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia. Founding meetings gathered representatives connected with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Secretariat, the World Intellectual Property Organization, and civic networks like Culture Action Europe and the Latin American Council of Social Sciences. Over successive assemblies the federation engaged with global forums including sessions at the UNESCO General Conference, hearings at the World Trade Organization and side-events during summits such as the G20 and the UN Climate Change Conference.

The federation's mission aligns with the objectives articulated in the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions to defend cultural diversity and the rights of cultural practitioners. It seeks to influence policy debates at institutions like UNESCO, World Trade Organization, United Nations Human Rights Council, and the European Commission while supporting national coalitions in countries including Mexico, India, Nigeria, and Japan. Objectives include promoting legal instruments similar to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, strengthening networks like the International Federation of Journalists and International Music Council, and advancing policy research comparable to publications by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Membership comprises national coalitions, regional networks, professional associations, and thematic platforms from over fifty countries, including partners in Argentina, Kenya, South Korea, Germany, and Egypt. Governance structures reflect models used by organizations such as the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and the World Wide Fund for Nature, with a board of directors, an executive committee, and working groups that parallel committees in the UNESCO Secretariat and the Council of Europe Steering Committee for Culture. The federation's secretariat is based in Montreal, and its leadership has engaged with officials from the Government of Canada, the Provincial Government of Quebec, and cultural institutions like the National Film Board of Canada.

Programmatic work includes capacity-building workshops for coalitions modeled after training by the Asia-Europe Foundation and the International Organization for Migration; research projects comparable to reports by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the International Labour Organization; and public campaigns echoing initiatives by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The federation organizes international conferences, policy briefings at the UNESCO General Conference, and seminars with partners such as the British Council, Institut Français, Goethe-Institut, and the Confédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Auteurs et Compositeurs. It publishes analyses addressing trade measures discussed at the World Trade Organization, cultural exception debates similar to the European Audiovisual Media Services Directive, and sectoral issues affecting entities like the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and the International Federation of Actors.

Advocacy efforts have targeted standards enshrined in the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and interventions at the World Trade Organization to argue for cultural exceptions. The federation has submitted statements to the UN Human Rights Council, intervened during UNESCO consultations, and coordinated positions with networks such as PEARLE* and the International Federation of Musicians. It has engaged with policymakers from the European Parliament, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, and national legislatures to influence cultural policy, copyright regimes examined by the World Intellectual Property Organization, and development agendas advanced by the United Nations Development Programme.

Strategic partners include intergovernmental agencies like UNESCO, civil society networks such as Culture Action Europe, arts organizations including the International Music Council, and cultural institutes like the British Council, Goethe-Institut, and Institut Français. Collaborative projects have linked the federation with research institutions like the Centre for International Governance Innovation, the International Institute for Sustainable Development, and university departments at institutions such as McGill University and the University of Cape Town. It has cooperated with labour and creators' federations including the International Federation of Actors and the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers to coordinate campaigns and policy responses.

Funding sources combine membership dues, grants from foundations similar to the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Foundations, project financing from agencies like the Canada Council for the Arts and the European Commission, and contributions tied to partnerships with institutions such as UNESCO and the United Nations Development Programme. Governance follows nonprofit standards akin to those of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies with periodic general assemblies, audited accounts, and transparency measures modeled on practices from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Monetary Fund.

Category:Cultural policy organizations Category:International non-governmental organizations