CCCI’s Jenny Mbaye leads a UNESCO workshop on the 2005 Convention in Asmara (Eritrea)

On October 28th and 29th, Dr Jenny Mbaye from City’s CCCI led a national awareness-raising meeting organised by UNESCO Regional Office Nairobi in Asmara (Eritrea).

Conceived in the framework of the UNESCO 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression, the workshop aimed at raising awareness among key line ministries, cultural actors, community and civil society stakeholders and partners on the benefits of ratification of the UNESCO Convention 2005 by Eritrea. Over 60 key representative from public institutions and the civil society attended the workshop  at the Commission for Culture and Sports in Asmara and, over two days, discussed Eritrea’s experiences, challenges and aspirations in the cultural and creative sector.

As international expert, Jenny gave a presentation on ‘Cultural industries, cultural policies and the cultural economy: How cultural policies can contribute to the development of a sustainable cultural economy?’ providing insights into the chain of production as well as the relevance of a multi-sectoral approach, partnerships (PPP), cultural marketing, digital technology and youth employment and education. On another occasion, she focused on introducing the expert facility and its role as well as the IFCD as specific benefits available to Parties having ratified the UNESCO 2005 Convention.

Jenny also shared short films with participants to showcase successful case studies of African experiences in developing the cultural and creative industries sector, such as the GoDown Arts Centre in Kenya, the Visa for Music market in Morocco, the Festival sur le Niger in Mali as well as Film Office at the Rwanda Development Board among others.

Exhibition by by Eritrean artist ©Biniam Afwerki

While there is no shortage of talents in Eritrea, the workshop stressed the importance of further investing in marketing, production and distribution networks for effective and visible flow of cultural creative products.

For more information on the workshop, see: https://en.unesco.org/news/state-eritrea-considers-benefits-ratifying-unescos-2005-convention-protection-and-promotion-0

For more information on the expert facility on the governance of culture for the implementation of the 2005 Convention, see: https://en.unesco.org/creativity/news/euunesco-expert-facility-governance-culture