Implementation of the African Renaissance Charter

Presentation to the Select Committee

Date: 23 September 2015

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Background

• The Minister launched the Charter on 2 - 3 October 2014, at Ditsong Museum with sector stakeholders – arts institutions, artists, arts educators, arts managers, policy makers an private sector.

• The Launch of the Charter was also used as a platform to discuss sector contribution to the implementation of the AU Agenda 2063.

• During the launch, participating sector stakeholders adopted the implementation strategy of the Charter which incorporate the aspirations of the AU agenda 2063.

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Implementation Strategy for the Charter

• The strategy is divided into four imperatives:

– Economic Imperative. The focus is on funding mechanisms to stimulate development in the creative sector as well as issues of Intellectual Property Rights.

– Social Imperative. The focus is on human development and capacity building for youth through arts education and teaching of African History as well as issues of freedom of expression and cultural democracy.

– Political Imperative. The focus is on African Identity and cultural rights of minorities as well as the role of African Diaspora.

– Cultural Imperative. The focus is on the end of illicit trafficking of cultural property, and reconstruction of historical memory and archiving.

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Progress to date

• The Department undertook to initiate the following flagship projects to kick start the implementation strategy of the Charter:

- Co-hosting the inaugural regional conference on arts education for the SADC region 11 – 13 March 2015 in partnership with NEPAD Agency.

- Hosting the Africa Month Cultural Programme in May 2015.

- Popularising and Promoting AU Symbols – AU Anthem CD, AU Anthem Posters translated in all official languages including Kiswahili, Portuguese and French, AU Flags. Activations took place in various geographical areas around the country.

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The Social Imperative• The Department of Arts and Culture co-hosted a Regional Conference on Arts

Education and Training for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region, on 11 – 13 March 2015 at Turbine Hall, Newtown, Johannesburg South Africa, under the theme “Advocacy for Arts Education in Africa”.

• The aim of the Regional Conference was to develop a policy framework to formulate, strengthen and harmonise Arts Education and Training policies in Africa as a strategic intervention and contribution in the regional integration, social cohesion and sustainable development in the continent.

Outcomes:• The Department is currently in the process of developing an Advocacy Handbook

on Arts Education in Africa. The handbook will be endorsed by the AU Technical Committee on Culture meeting in 2016.

• The Department will further support the NEPAD Agency to encourage other regions in Africa to host Regional Conferences leading up to the Pan African Conference on Arts Education planned for 2017. Currently discussions are underway with North, East and West Africa.

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The Social Imperative (cont.)• The arts education and training project responds to articles 12, 13,

14, 15, 16 and 17 of the African Union Charter for African Cultural Renaissance which acknowledge training as a fundamental component of cultural development of the nation and continent.

• The articles further encourages policies to improve the capacity and skills of arts practitioners and ensure professional training for creative industries. In line with this, the Department has initiated an Incubator Programme for artists and it is rolled out in phases starting with Performing Arts Institutions; awarding of bursaries for language and heritage practitioners.

• The DAC will continue to work close with NEPAD Agency,

Department of Basic Education and in consultation with other African countries to develop an advocacy handbook on arts education in Africa which will create awareness on the value add of arts education in human development as well as influencing the formulation, strengthening and harmonization of arts education policies and programmes in Africa.

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The Political Imperative• The Department of Arts and Culture hosted an inaugural Africa Month as part

of the immediate initiatives of fostering the African Renaissance vision articulated in the Preamble of the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance. Africa Month was hosted under the theme “ WE ARE AFRICA”.

• 36 countries participated in 29 projects that were hosted in all nine provinces for the duration of the entire month of May.

Key Projects highlights:• We Are Africa Parade held on 2 May 2015 kick-started the Cultural Programme

with a carnival that pledged a call to action towards African Unity.• !KAURU Visual Arts Exhibition 21 May – 30 June 2015 has created an interest in

the visual arts and its value add in policy landscaping. The project is currently regarded as one of the regional integration initiatives that has a potential of sustainability and stimulus for Intra-Africa Trade.

• Gcwala Ngamasiko Cultural Festival: 20 – 24 May 2015– 9 African Countries participated. The event promoted African identity and Social Cohesion in the SADC Region and beyond.

• Pan African Cultural Congress: 25 – 27 May 2015 – This was an AU platform hosted in SA and was created for civil society to influence policy change at AU level. It was hosted under the theme – “Unity in Cultural Diversity for Africa’s development”. The outcome of the Congress was documented as a contribution from cultural sector towards the implementation of the AU Agenda 2063.

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The Political ImperativeThe Department is planning to rollout the promotion and popularisation of AU symbols as follows:

•Hoisting of the AU Flag in all Government Departments including the SA embassies abroad.

•Develop an Educational Tool Kit in partnership with the African Union. The Educational Tool Kit will include the following information:

– The CD should have an insert with the following: – Brief History of the AU Institution– List of AU Member States– Brief Description of the AU Anthem – AU Anthem – Words – AU Anthem – Notations – Emblem and brief description of the meaning – Flag – Brief description of the meaning of colours

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Future Plans

• Provincial meetings on the Charter with a view to support provincial offices of culture to implement the Charter obligations in 2015/16. In this regard, provincial workshops will be hosted with key stakeholders and civil society in 2016/2017.

• Establishment of the Charter Committee at national and provincial levels to meet annually or as required for effective coordination.

• Development of a Charter webpage as a link to DAC website. The Webpage will serves as one stop portal to get and share updated information on the implementation of the Charter in SA.

• Integration of the Reporting on the Charter

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The Charter Committee

• The Charter Committee will be established in 2015/2016 and include other Government departments implicated

• The Charter Committee will be responsible for quality assurance in the reporting and assessment of the implementation strategy of the Charter.

• Members of the Charter Committee will establish their own intra-departmental sub-committees as applicable.

• Representatives will be as appointed by Director Generals of their departments.

• Periodic reporting will be done to Social Cluster, Cabinet and Parliament.

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The Role of the Committee

• Monitor the progress of the implementation strategy and report on the implementation.

• Assess the areas of greatest urgency and assess appropriate resource allocations to address these areas.

• Identify champions for the Charter and encourage regular annual reporting from all departments against the Implementation Strategy as well as for a comprehensive four yearly report to Cabinet and African Union.

• Quality assurance of a consolidated report on the implementation of the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance.

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THANK YOU