REVUE DE PRESSE

LE MATIN (The Morning)
Saturday 29 Sunday 30 November 2003

PREPARATION OF THE WORLDWIDE SUMMIT ON CULTURE IN 2004
RETURN TO THE MAIN DIMENSION OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES

About 40 African actors in the cultural sector have participated at the first prepatory meeting of the Worldwide Cultural Forum organized under the leadership of the Youssou Ndour Foundation. The two-day meeting has allowed participants to elaborate an action plan aimed to consolidating their points of view before the World Culture Forum Corporation that was held in July 2004 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. According to Abdoul Aziz Mbaye, President of the Youssou Ndour Foundation during the closing ceremonies of the seminary that took place on November 27 and 28.
“This first meeting in Dakar not only allows us to take a look at the African cultural policy but represents also an opportunity to find a common platform for Africa in order to better prepare the Global Cultural Forum that will take place next July in Sao Paulo, Brazil”.
That first meeting which is part of a dynamic of consultation and harmonization has allowed the cultural actors who were present to adopt a number of propositions and recommendations. Thus, concerning the promotion of reforms toward African cultural policies, the participants have pleaded for the state implementation of cultural infrastructures, the support of training and the reinforcement of capacities of cultural actors by the public and private sectors,…the adaptation of a favorable legal environment, but also the financing of studies and other programs for the rebirth of African culture in general constitute the main preoccupations of African cultural actors present at the meeting. Among the leading results related to the chapter of development of enterprises and cultural markets that would be defended in Sao Paulo in July 2004, there were the frequency of meetings between cultural actors as well as the creation of facilities in order to support and facilitate the work of African artists. Above its stabilizing role, culture is also an economic tool. In that sense, the participants have requested the implementation of an international and professional network for the cultural actors in order to make activities more efficient and more effective.
Besides those recommendations, the participants have suggested the creation of a cultural institute of strategic studies and research
HAMIDOU SOKOMO

TAXI
Friday 28 november 2003

WORLD CULTURAL FORUM
THE OUTLINES OF AN AFRICAN CONTRIBUTION

The opening of the Africa Region preparatory meeting for the World Cultural Forum took place yesterday at the Novotel under the leadership of Cheikh Oumar Cissokho, Malian Cultural Minister. The seminary organized by the Youssou Ndour Foundation brings together around 40 artists, writers and cultural operators to evaluate and make propositions for the reinforcement of their sector and the harmonization of cultural policies throughout the continent.
According to Abdoul Aziz Mbaye, President of the Youssou Ndour Foundation, the meeting is an opportunity to bring African actors to agree on the necessity to carry out a coherent action and to come up with consistent means. It should also allow them to take position at the World Cultural Forum scheduled from June 26 to July 4, 2004 in Sao Paulo, Brazil
In order to give a better idea of the impact of the event, Franz Patay, President of World Culture Forum Corporation said that, for the first time, this platform would facilitate dialogue between political decision makers, creators, cultural leaders and the private sector. The program includes a symposium, a conference of Ministers of Culture, a festival and a cultural market and offers a platform to “promote the cultural diversity while facing the challenges of modernity”
While surveying the objectives during the opening ceremonies in Sao Paulo in 2004, Mrs. Safietou Ndiaye Diop, Senegalese minister of culture has assigned to participants the mission to elaborate a “unique African contribution”. As for her Malian counterpart Cheikh Oumar Cissokho who was presiding the workshop on the promotion of the reforms of cultural policies in Africa, he pleaded in favor of the registration to the Programme Indicatif National (PIN) by African States
Today, the participants will tackle the issue of development of business cultural markets, the implementation of an international network, the professionalization of cultural actors and the agenda of the Africa region for the World Culture Forum Corporation. The closing of the workshops is scheduled at 6:00 pm followed by a dinner-show.
IBRAHIMA WANE