The Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) jointly organised a one-day consultation workshop entitled “Re-shaping Policies for the Cultural and Creative Industries” at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Phnom Penh last week.
According to a press release of UNESCO Cambodia issued this morning, the workshop aimed to provide a platform for discussion on the development of the Creative and Cultural Industries in Cambodia. Over 90 participants joined it including representatives of the Royal Government of Cambodia from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, and Ministry of Commerce, and Development Partners, including Embassies of Brunei, China, France, Korea, Japan, Laos, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, US, UK, Turkey, Russia, and Singapore. Experts and specialists from academia, civil society, and the private sector also participated in the event.
Presided over by H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, the workshop was divided into two sessions: Overview of the current trend of the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) in global, regional and county level in Cambodia and CCIs policies: Asia perspectives. During the workshop, the recently published UNESCO global report “Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity: Addressing culture as a global public good” was introduced to promote the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
In her opening speech, H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, underlined the need to develop the National Cultural Policy which was established in 2014, and to redefine the CCIs in Cambodia, while Mr. Sardar Umar Alam, UNESCO Representative to Cambodia, highlighted the importance of culture and creative industries in contributing to Cambodia’s socio-economic development, for which a continuous close dialogue between the government, civil society, and professionals operating in the CCI field is required, to strengthen the competitiveness of Cambodia’s culture and creative industry.
The cultural and creative industries are among the fastest growing sectors in the world: with an estimated global worth of US$4.3 trillion per year, and accounting for 6.1 percent of the global economy. The sector generates annual revenues of US$2,250 billion and nearly 30 million jobs worldwide, employing more people aged 15 to 29 than any other sector. Thus, the CCIs have become essential for inclusive economic growth, reducing inequalities and achieving the goals set out in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
