Conclusions of the subjects 2008

Theme 2008: Cultural diversity

SOCIAL DIALOGUE ABOUT CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Seminar 2008
Organised by the CNV KUNSTENBOND, with participation of cultural trade-unions around Europe.
Location: SBI/Zonneheuvel in Doorn, the Netherlands
August 2 – August 7 2008

CONCLUSIONS

  1. Europe is a patchwork of so many and very different local communities. This fascinating diversity is essential for the future of the European culture and work in the sector art & culture.
  2. The essential cultural diversity cannot exist without a social-cultural dialogue.
  3. Such dialogues need to be organised. Actors should be cultural groups, trade-unions, local politics, churches.
  4. The suggestion is to avoid ‘multi-cultural’ and use instead ‘inter-cultural’ as key words
  5. Dialogue is only possible if we communicate in the same language. Language education is essentional.
  6. Values become more and more important. Education (school, vocational)should bring the important values of Europe to students and newcomers.
  7. The arts are the core of the fast growing ‘cultural industries’. But no art, without the artists. These ‘cultural workers’ have often been pushed into a selfemployed situation. In most nations there are hardly any good provisions and structures to help/sustain like health-care, social security, retirement plans. It is important tha the new debates about flexacurity will include the very special situations of the artists/cultural workers. Politics should start thinking about these situations.
  8. Trade unions need to participate in this changing climate giving work to ten thousands of self-employed, flexible workers.
  9. Easily safety(safe work) and health are forgotten, but those aspects are essential contexts for our human capital. Here trade-unions and governements need to work together towards fair regulations and implementations.