CA 2008 subject (CNV-Kunstenbond) EZA/EU Seminar (August 2-7, 2008)
Social-Cultural dialogue about cultural diversity and the practical implications for new work-opportunities, life long learning, participation of young and old.

This subject is of great importance because of the EU year about cultural dialogue and a similar Unesco-document enhancing cultural dialogue.. So what will this be the implication for work, education, life long learning, mobility, youth, minorities, etc. Trade unions have to overcome the traditional borders of their services and participate in this new economic reality. Studies show that the ‘cultural industries’ will become a bigger employment sector for the EU, much more as the traditional sectors like steel, mining, fishing. What do we know about why? Essential is the cultural diversity, and without a social-cultural dialogue, diversity cannot exist. Trade unions need to participate in this changing climate giving work to ten thousands of self-employed, flexible workers. Easily safety (safe work) and health are forgotten, but essential for our human capital. How to prevent exploitation (of the young, women), so new forms of life long learning will help to equip better for this future.

1. Cultural Dialogue as human capital for the integration of Europe, and the economic expansion of cities.
Prof. Calvin Seerveld (Canada).
What is interesting for many visitors (tourists, students, etc) is the incredible cultural diversity of Europe. The cultural diversity is even growing because of migrations. Will those migrations add to the existing cultural diversity or will it press to a more mono-culture? The existing diversity is human capital and of high economic value for the EU states. Or do we face cultural loss as result of globalization?

2. Cultural Dialogue important for the cultural industries/ the new fast growing labour opportunities.
Andrew Bullen (Netherlands).
Still many investments go to the steel, electronic or building industries. Recent studies show that the major cities in Europe become much more important as centres of new cultural industries. Time to change policies and focus on these new hotspots for work-opportunities. And we need to discuss the situation of the many self-employed in this sector. Regular work (‘normal’) labour contracts are happening less and less, and more and more you see part-time, flexwork, or no contract at all.

3. Cultural dialogue is needed, as Cultural Diversity will benefit from safe work and health, lifelong learning and proper financial provisions, like pension plans.
Zsuzsanna Török (Hungary).
How do we deal with basic situations like safety at work and health? There is an alarming rate of problems in the cultural sector, because many workers are pussed to become self-employed and do not think about these important issues. And life for these self-employed persons is so hectic that they forget to participate in life long learning programs. The context of this sector is changing so rapidly, that new training, new insights, new technics must be learned, so time for a flexible attitude in learning. So how can we realise good financial provisions like pension plans. These securities are needed to secure a healthy future.

4. Cultural dialogue will benefit from a mix of young and old; paid labour and volunteer services.
Dr. Gabriella Pasztor (Romania).
You can read nowadays a lot about the changing demografy of the EU population. From 1 retired person on 4 workers, we move to 2 retired persons per 4 workers. Pensions cannot be paid unless we work longer, save more. But there are problems for youth to enter the labour-market and that is very true for workers 50+. How to redeem this controversy? Sometimes there seems to be a conflict between volunteers work and paid work. For sure is that care for elderly, handicapped, under privilidged persons, youth work can only exist with the support of many volunteer persons. This legion of volunteers is the oil for the fabric of society. This legion needs to grow across Europe otherwise society may fall apart. Here is a great challenge for the huge retiring number of people. A real ‘cultural dialogue’ is needed to build bridges of understanding: between self-employed and employed, between people groups of different ethnic backgrounds, between young and old, between volunteers and workforce.