cultural development, a holistic view
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77Tania Garca Lorenzo CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT: A HOLISTIC VIEW
Culture is the sign distinguishing the humannature and, therefore, a culture expressing ahumanistic ethic will reect the emancipationof society and of every force delaying actionsto achieve wellbeing, so it promotes respect for
values inherited in and by every nation. Truedevelopment is the one that values the wealth ofdifferences as part of its potentialities, promotescommunication and exchange, and fosters theelimination of inequalities.2
But, as a means and end of development itself, itis necessary to acknowledge the cross-sectionalnature of culture which interrelates it with everysphere of life in society. Art, tradition, creationin every manifestation and cultural processes to
build the collective memory and citizenship ex-
press social creativity. That is why the protectionof the endogenous cultural production of each na-tion is indispensable. Cultural policies especiallydevoted to arts and creation and the preservationof cultural heritage and exchange have a specialimpact on the way we see, understand and projectthe society in which we live3, and thus in the way
we participate and build that society. Therefore,it is a matter of rejecting homogenization anddevising common rules in order to achieve sharedgoals.
The cross-sectional nature of culture in every
sphere of social life is a requisite for sustainabledevelopment. This implies living and growingtogether with differences and equality and, inthis process, the citizens cultural rights brandparticipation as a condition for the continuousdevelopment of citizenship.
Cultural policy-making is more validated when allsocial sectors are actively involved and when it re-ects the will of every citizen. Its implementationshould include multiple concrete cultural actions,
by both cultural institutions and organizationsgrouping creators and artists, including the joint
work with other agencies and organizations.
The assertion and development of national identi-ties and the acknowledgement of the universaland deeply Latin American and Caribbean voca-tion of their historical memories are expressedin: the preservation and dissemination of culturalheritage; the recognition of cultural diversity; thepromotion of artistic and literary creation; therespect and support to the protagonist role played
by communities in the implementation of theirsocial and cultural processes; and the recognitionof the role played by culture in promoting and
guiding the social and economic processes of thenation. All these components have been gradu-ally incorporated to the guiding principles of cul-tural development strategies in search societys
well-being.
Under the current conditions of market interna-tionalization, artistic and literary creation is alsorecognized as a sector having a strong presencein the dynamic of world economic develop-ment, which is not void of tensions, since artisticcreation, being a spiritual work, should not beconsidered as another commodity subjected tomarket requirements or measured in terms of itsnancial protability. The artistic work resultsfrom the peoples creativity, so its dividends must
be fairly reected in the daily life of individual
and collective creators without undermining itsspiritual wealth.
When designing policies complying with socio-cultural development purposes, it is extremelyimportant to devise a statistical system and aset of cultural indicators including the reality,needs and impact of measures and actions inplace. The UNESCO Culture for DevelopmentIndicators Suite proposal, included in MagazineNo. 7, stresses the importance of this tool inestablishing a dialogue with and for developmentstakeholders and decision makers. Differences
among sectors and estimation methodologies,both in gures and in qualitative verications,add complexity when designing this indispensa-
ble tool for cultural stakeholders. As any otherstatistical tool, it must prove facts, verify pro-cesses and measure policy impacts. The formula-tion of indicators is essential and they must takeinto account the complex social processes in thedaily cultural work. How can we demonstratethe benets of respect for the diversity of culturalexpressions or cultural rights? How can we proofthe benets of working with the cultural freedomthat is indispensable for the creative spirit?
This Magazine issue includes two national experi-ences on the important role that cultural develop-ment can and should play in the comprehensivedevelopment of nations.
The year 2010 will be characterized by one eventthat took place early in that year. On January12, 2010 the prolonged suffering of the Haitianpeople reached new dimensions that will lastfor a long time. For many days, that country hitthe mass media headlines and the attention andreection of many men and women across the
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world who, in their own countries, wholehearted-ly felt the anguish of that people who paid dearlyfor their will to be independent and oppose toslavery. When reading about this event, its impactand the way in which this catastrophe was faced,our look should be focused rst on Haiti and thenextended to the Caribbean Basin, the hemisphereand the world at large. The article contained inthis Magazine shows how culture is present inHaitian daily life. Likewise, how culture hasreceived a fundamental space in the new founda-tion of the country due to the wealth of its tangi-
ble and intangible cultural resources. In responseto reconstruction demands, UNESCO created theInternational Committee for the Protection ofHaitian Culture and dened the course of actionto be implemented. Besides, it has contributed
to the mobilization of the international commu-nity to support the Haitian people in rebuildingtheir society, improving the living and workingconditions of artists, creators, institutions andcommunities, recovering and protecting heritageareas by preventing devastation, and recovering
valuable cultural resources and supporting effortsto reestablish educational capacities.
At the other end of the continent, the Magazineprovides us with a comprehensive view of the
broad spectrum of cultural projects. The pro-ject on Strengthening cultural industries and
improving access to cultural goods and servicesin Uruguay, also known as Viv Cultura, ismainly aimed at achieving three of the Millen-nium Development Goals: the rst one, to reducepoverty and hunger; the third one, to promotegender equality and womens autonomy; and theeighth one, to encourage the promotion of a worlddevelopment association. This project, propelled
by the harmonic conuence of relevant nationalfactors and agencies from the United Nationssystem, shows how cultural industries placed atthe disposal of the community can contribute todevelopment and how international cooperation
has a constructive function to play far from theunfair and false assistance.
Other experiences contained in the Magazineinclude two artistic manifestation which un-doubtedly have an impact on societies at large.The project The Cameras of Diversity deals withfour dened central issues to fulll priorities setforth by the international community concerningthe promotion of cultural diversity and dialogue
between cultures, displaying an impressive sensi-tivity with the needs of target social subjects. Thecomplex fabric of these project complementary
activities have contributed to audiovisual crea-tion and its broadcasting in a highly mercantil-ist conventional dissemination and distributioncircuits and subjected to protability and com-petition rules among unequal partners. On theother hand, the International Film and TelevisionSchool is of great importance in the creation ofa Continental and Caribbean lm industry thatcould display the most genuine cultural thinkingand action in our region.
Richard Uribes article is a tribute to this authorwho, until his demise, was committed to thecultural development of Latin American andCaribbean nations in the promotion of books andliterature. Providing a system of internationallycomparable indicators to measure the integrated
cycle of editorial production --a process thatstarts with the delivery of the work itself by theauthor and ends with the validation as a culturalfact by the reader-- constitutes the central courseof action dened by CERLALC / UNESCO aimedat strengthening the cultural integration of thecontinent.
The cross-sectional nature of culture in the life ofsociety as a whole becomes evident when readingthe article on the SIDACULT project. The struggleagainst this scourge of mankind is, above all, aneducational struggle, since it must be the result of
a conscious prevention and humanitarian actionboth individually and collectively. That is why theUNESCO approach to this complex and sensi-tive issue is extremely important. It is a socio-cultural approach for it implies the gender, ageand social perspective of groups facing differentstages of affection and understanding their socialresponsibility. Therefore it is, above all, a culturalperspective.
The Qhapaq an is in fact a cultural heritageof exceptional value. The author shows us howThe Incas managed to articulate all the Andean
knowledge and skillfully connect regional roadnetworks that had began to form two thousandyears back, succeeding in making them func-tionally coherent --at the service of an Empire--and marked by production centers, businessesand worship sites. This exceptional territorialunication at continental level was done in lessthan a century, without the help of the wheel andthe drive power of man and the Andean camels.This article forces us to think about the integra-tion concepts and projects to which so manycontemporary players devote so much effort. Thecontrast is even greater when, after two centuries
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79Tania Garca Lorenzo CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT: A HOLISTIC VIEW
of independence, the integrationist paradigm of thecontinent is still far from its own roots and when wehave failed to articulate, in a systemic way, a Latin
American unity yearned for such a long time- toempower the natural and built capacities of thosenations and the continent as a whole.
Three community experiences of unquestionableeducational and cultural wealth travel across theCaribbean. From Chiapas, Mexico, to the Ter-razas in Pinar del Ro, Cuba, and the Guloyas andGuloyitas, known as the Cocolo Dancing Theaterin San Pedro de Macors, Dominican Republic.Three experiences displaying the strength ofhistory, traditions and the will to preserve theroots and the spiritual enrichment they provide tosocieties.
From generation to generation, the Guloyas keepalive the cultural heritage of their forefathers rep-resenting the eternal struggle between good andevil, light and darkness while integrating Domini-can and Caribbean features in a singular symbio-sis of diversity enriched by its unity within thenational context. The ancestral Mayan and Zoquecultures are kept alive in Chiapas, evidenced
by the ritual festivities and ceremonies havingan impact in their economic life. Likewise, theystrengthen their identity which is, at the sametime, their sense of belonging and the cohesion
of society. Four hundred years of history can beexperienced when enjoying the landscape of theTerrazas. Its exuberant beauty allows us to enjoythe double action of its protagonists to preservethe historical memory of this site while mod-ernizing the life of its inhabitants. This culturalsymbiosis between historical memory and enrich-
ing development of nature can be witnessed thesethree experiences integrating nature and envi-ronmental respect in the search for sustainabledevelopment.
The Magazine shows us one side of UNESCO ac-tions in favor of culture and development that hasnot been sufciently known and acknowledged
by quite a large number of our societies, namely,the underwater cultural heritage. The author tellsus that under the continental waters, scenario ofmultiple battles and accidents, there are countlessmaterial remnants from far-off and recent timesthat arouse great scientic interest in recent dec-ades. This is so because of the information wealthabout societies. The Jamaican history is not thesame before and after the discovery of two thirds
of the Port Royal city submerged under the waterfollowing the earthquake on June 7, 1692.
The cultural concept of development demandsa cross-sectional perspective of society and itshistory, costumes and cultural practices. This
will allow us to appreciate the multidimensionalnature of life and human beings individually. Itallows us to consider economy as a means and notas an end in itself. It proposes a complex analysis
when thinking about the future of mankind in thequest for a friendly environmental developmentand the well-being of society as a whole. That is
why today, the battle for survival, for the elimina-tion of war and threats of wars, for the eradica-tion of poverty and for the achievement of theMillennium Development Goals is, in its generaland practical concept, an essentially culturalpurpose.
Notas
1Taken from: La cultura como finalidad del desar-
rollo. Document for the Seminar of Experts on
Cultural Policies. OAS. Vancouver, Canada, March
18 and 19, 2002
2Todos Tienen Cultura: Quines Pueden Desar-
rollarla? Nstor Garca Canclini. Lecture delivered
during the Seminar on Culture and Development,
at the Inter-American Development Bank, Wash-
ington, February 24, 2005. Digital copy.
3Sobre cultura y desarrollo. Fernando Vicario.
Quorum Magazine N 17, pages 17 to 22.
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C O L L A B O R A T O R S
PROLOGUEHerman van Hooff
Director Regional Office for Culture in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean
CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENTFernando [email protected]
Program Specialist and Culture Team CoordinatorUNESCO Regional Office for Culture in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean
THE NEW FOUNDATION OF HAITICaroline Munier
Program Assistant Specialist, Executive Office,Culture Sector, UNESCO
UNESCO CULTURE FOR DEVELOPMENTINDICATORS SUITE: A TOOL TO INCORPORATECULTURE INTO DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIESGuiomar [email protected] SpecialistDivision of Cultural Diversity, Cultural Sector,UNESCO
Melika Medicim.caucino-medici@unesco,org
Consultant
Division of Cultural Diversity, Cultural Sector,UNESCO
BOOK INDICATORS IN SIX LATIN AMERICANCOUNTRIESRichard UribeBook and Development Assistant DirectorRegional Center for Book Promotion in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean (CERLALC)
THE CAMERAS OF DIVERSITYYumey Bes Payo
Consultant of the UNESCO Regional Office forCulture in Latin America and the Caribbeanfor the Cameras of Diversity Project
Juan Carlos Sardiasjuancar los@fncl. cult.cu
Head SpecialistInformation and Research Center
New Latin American Film Foundation
CARIBBEAN FILM TRAVELLING SHOWCASESOME CONSIDERATIONSRigoberto [email protected]
President of the Caribbean Film TravellingShowcase
THE UNESCO CULTURAL OFFICE FOR ARGEN-TINA, PARAGUAY AND URUGUAY:THINKING AND IMPLEMENTING FROM A CUL-TURE FOR DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVEFrdric [email protected] .uy
Cultural Program Specialist at the UNESCO Office
for Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay
THE QHAPAQ AN:THE ANDEAN DEVELOPMENT ROADNuria Sanz
General Coordinator for the Nomination Processof Qhapaq an, Andean Road System, to theUNESCO World Heritage List. Head of the LatinAmerican and Caribbean Division, UNESCO WorldHeritage Center
SOCIAL COHESION IN CHIAPASEnrique Prez [email protected]
Director of the State Center of Native Languages,
Arts and Literature. Chiapas, Mexico
THE GULOYAS AND GULOYITASEdis Snchez
Folklorist and Member of the ICH Commission ofthe Dominican Republic, Ministry of Culture
LAS TERRAZAS AND ITS ENVIRONMENTMarcia Leiseca
Socio-cultural consultant at Las TerrazasVice-president of Casa de las Amricas, Cuba
CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT FROM THEPROTECTION OF THE UNDERWATER CUTURALHERITAGE PERSPECTIVETatiana Villegas
Program SpecialistUNESCO Regional Office for Culture in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean
SIDACULT, A NETWORK GIVING A REGIONALDIMENSION TO LOCAL ISSUESLeire Fernndez
ConsultantUNESCO Regional Office for Culture in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean
LEARNING TO DREAM WITH OPENED EYESTanya Valette
Dominican FilmmakerFormer Director General of the EICTV
CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT:A HOLISTIC VIEWTania Garca Lorenzo
Researcher at the Juan Marinello Cuban Instituteof Cultural ResearchCollaborator of the UNESCO Regional Office forCulture in Latin America and the Caribbean