MILLENNIUM GOALS: 1 MILLION EUROS FROM THE EU TO UNESCO FOR CULTURE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

“Culture is an essential element for reaching lasting human and economic development”: today in New York EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs signed an agreement for which the European Union would give UNESCO one million euros for “supporting the sector of culture and knowledge in developing countries”. New York is hosting the UN summit on Millennium Goals. The initiative is part of the support given by the EU to the Convention of 2005 for promoting cultural diversity in several regions in the world. The signature was made alongside the meeting of the United Nations, exactly to underline “the importance of cultural dynamism”, research and training in poor countries. Today, in the American metropolis, there will be a round table on the same subject. Piebalgs himself, UNESCO General Manager Irina Bokova, and President of the African Union Commission Jean Ping will take part in it. The EU Executive points out that the funds meant for culture within development cooperation policies “are increasing”: just for countries in Africa, Pacific and the Caribbean, with which specific agreements have been subscribed, 155 million euros were allocated for the period 1990-2007, which became 200 million for the period 2007-2013.

© SIR - 21 september 2010