Programme
The 7th World Summit on Arts and Culture programme explored the theme At the Crossroads? Cultural Leadership in the 21st Century and addressed a number of critical issues from the impact of multilateral trade negotiations on cultural policies and how we can advocate for freedom of expression and cultural rights, to changing the way arts and culture are supported and identifying how we can lead for the future. Conversations were enriched by contributions from a diversity of participants, including representatives from cultural organisations, national arts councils, ministries of culture, local and regional stakeholders, independent professionals, international networks, as well as young leaders taking part in the Global Cultural Leadership Programme. Throughout, delegates fruitfully questioned the future direction of the sector and deepened a shared understanding of our responsibilities and the contexts in which we work.
The 7th World Summit was programmed by Dr Nina Obuljen Koržinek, former research fellow at the Institute for Development and International Relations, Croatia; State Secretary for Culture (2008-2011) and former Assistant Minister (2006-2008) at the Croatian Ministry of Culture. In 2004 she received the European Cultural Policy Research Award for her research on the impact of the EU enlargement on cultural policies which was published in the book Why We Need European Cultural Policies: Impact of EU enlargement on countries in transition. In October 2016, Dr Obuljen Koržinek was appointed Minister of Culture for the Government of Croatia.
Explore the full 7th World Summit on Arts and Culture programme.
Programme Participants
The 7th World Summit included keynote sessions with:
Doris Pack, Former Chair, European Parliament Committee on Culture and Education (Germany), who was a Member of the European Parliament from 1989 until 2014 and a dedicated and vocal leader that participated in some of the most important developments around culture in the European Union in the 2010s. Ms Pack shared with participants her reflections on cultural leadership and considered the role and position of culture in current European and global debates.
Arn Chorn-Pond, Founder and spokesperson of Cambodian Living Arts (Cambodia), a human rights activist, musician and Cambodian genocide survivor who provides an inspirational example of waging peace through arts and culture. Mr Chorn-Pond shared his extraordinary story about the music that saved his life, and his determination to go back to Cambodia and help his country to overcome its traumas.
The programme also included 65 speakers from 44 countries, including:
Verónica Ahumada
Director of International Cultural Cooperation, Secretariat of Culture (Mexico)
Shahidul Alam
Photographer and human rights activist (Bangladesh)
Abdullah Alkafri
Playwright and cultural activist (Syria/Lebanon)
Esther Anatolitis
Director Regional Arts Victoria (Australia)
Toni Attard
Director Strategy, Arts Council Malta (Malta)
Kimmo Aulake
Special Government Advisor and Deputy Head of Cultural Exports and Exchange Unit, Ministry of Education and Culture (Finland)
Gantuya Badamgarav
Founding Director Mongolian Contemporary Art Association (Mongolia)
Jordi Balta
United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) (Spain)
Marina Barham
General Director of Al-Harah Theater, and AlHarah Performing Arts Training Center (Palestine)
Romina Bianchini
Professor, Faculty of Fine Arts, National University of La Plata (Argentina)
François Bouda
Author, Mondoblog (Burkina Faso)
Simon Brault
Director of Culture, Canada Council for the Arts (Canada)
Vahni Capildeo
Writer (Trinidad & Tobago)
Jane Chu
Chairperson National Endowment for the Arts (USA)
Danielle Cliche
Chief, Section of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions Secretary of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, UNESCO (France/Canada)
Sandro Debono
Senior Curator at Malta’s National Museum of Fine Arts (Malta)
Carla Delfos
Executive Director European League of Institutes of the Arts (Netherlands)
Elena Di Federico
Project Manager, Research and Publications at IETM (Italy / Belgium)
Yvonne Donders
Professor International Human Rights and Cultural Diversity, University of Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Milena Dragičević Šešić
Head of UNESCO Chair in Interculturalism, Art Management and Mediation, University of Belgrade (Serbia)
Louise Ejgod Hansen
Project and Research Manager, Aarhus rethinkIMPACTS2017 (Denmark)
Rana Yazaji
Executive Director of El Mawred, coordinator of the Arab Cultural Policy Group (Syria/Egypt)
Guy Martial Feukwu Noule
Acting Director Culture Office, Culture Engineering Abbia’Art (Cameroon)
Staffan Forssell
Director General, Swedish Arts Council (Sweden)
Sarah Gardner
Executive Director, IFACCA
Arundhati Ghosh
India Foundation for the Arts (India)
Oliver Göbel
Project Manager, Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe, ERICarts (Germany)
Lucy Hannah
Programme Manager, Commonwealth Writers, Commonwealth Foundation (UK)
Honor Harger
Director of Art Science Museum (Singapore)
Kok Heng Leun
The Arts Nominated Member of Parliament (Singapore)
Sue Hoyle
Director Clore Leadership Programme (UK)
Elise Huffer
Human Development Programme Adviser, Culture, Pacific Community (Fiji)
Abid Hussain
Director, Diversity at Arts Council England (England)
Jepchumba
African Digital Art (South Africa)
Elimane Kane
Advisor to the Mayor of Dakar, former Minister of Culture (Senegal)
Octavio Kulesz
Director, Editorial Teseo (Argentina)
Goretti Kyomuhendo
Novelist, Director African Writers Trust (Uganda)
Annamari Laaksonen
Research Manager IFACCA (Finland/Australia)
Robert Lynch
CEO Americans for the Arts (USA)
Erwin Maas
Theatre and Opera Director (Netherlands/USA)
Robert Manchin
President and Acting Secretary General of Culture Action Europe (Hungary)
Rosemary Mangope
Chief Executive Officer, National Arts Council (South Africa)
Dennis Marita
Director of Culture, Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Solomon Islands)
Sergio Mautone
Director of Culture, Ministry of Education and Culture (Uruguay)
Orlaith McBride
Director, Arts Council of Ireland (Ireland)
Kelli McCluskey
New media artist/art in the public domain (Australia)
Christine Merkel
Head of the Division of Culture, German Commission for UNESCO (Germany)
Kathrin Merkle
Head of the Culture and Democracy Division, Council of Europe (France)
Raquel Mesa Sobejano
Acción Cultural Española (Spain)
Ángel Moreno
Deputy Director of Cultural Practices of the Secretary of Culture, Recreation and Sports of the city of Bogota (Colombia)
Magdalena Moreno Mujica
Deputy Director IFACCA (Chile/Australia)
Barbara Negrón
General Director of the Cultural Policies Observatory (Chile)
Garry Neil
Expert on cultural diversity and status of the artist (Canada)
Nguyen Phuong Hoa
Deputy Director General, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Viet Nam)
Nina Obuljen Koržinek
Programme Director, 7th World Summit on Arts and Culture (Croatia)
Andrew Ormston
Director of Drew Wylie Projects (Scotland)
Robert Palmer
Independent consultant (UK)
Ivan Petrella
Secretary for Federal Integration and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture (Argentina)
Phlouen Prim
Executive Director Cambodia Living Arts (Cambodia)
Ralph Ragenvanu
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources (Vanuatu)
Oussama Rifahi
Director Arab Fund for Culture (Lebanon)
Nirit Roessler
Jerusalem Culture Unlimited (Israel)
Richard Russell
Chief Operating Officer, Arts Council England (England)
Inés Sanguinetti
Dancer and choreographer, Director Crear vale la pena (Argentina)
Annick Schramme
President of ENCATC, the European Network on Cultural Policy and Management Education (Belgium)
Isabelle Schwarz
Head of Advocacy, Research & Development and Knowledge Management, European Cultural Foundation (France/Germany)
Susanna Seidl-Fox
Program Director, Culture and the Arts, Salzburg Global Seminar (USA/Austria)
Anupama Sekhar
Director of the Culture Department at the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) (India)
Minna Sirnö
Director Art Promotion Centre (Finland)
Marie Le Sourd
Secretary General, On the Move (France)
Sana Tamzini
Curator, Ministry of Culture (Tunisia)
Chandraguptha Thenuwara
Chair Arts Council of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka)
Lidia Varbanova
Cultural consultant, researcher and manager (Bulgaria/Canada)
Helena Vasques de Carvalho
Vice President, Portuguese Cultural Diversity Coalition (Portugal)
Jo Verrent
Senior Producer, Unlimited (UK)
Carlos Javier Villaseñor Anaya
Cultural policy expert (Mexico/Panama)
Karsten Xuereb
Executive Director, Valletta 2018 Foundation (Malta)
Read the full programme.
Image: Morning Tea, Sacra Infermeria, Mediterranean Conference Centre. Credit: Therese Debono
Cultural Programme
Alongside the official conference programme, the cultural programme for delegates included:
Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony at Fort St Elmo, which included a gastronomy programme featuring key local dishes and traditional sweets, grouped according to villages where such dishes are popular – such as Qormi, known for the production of bread and Marsaxlokk, a popular fishing village; and performances from NAFRA Folk Ensemble, a major international exponent of Malta’s musical heritage and a dedicated special performance from D.O.K. an alliance between Maltese artists conceived by choreographer Dorian Mallia, Artistic Director of Moveo Dance Company, and inspired by Maltese folk music.
Image: Delegates dining at Verdala Palace. Credit: Matthew Mirabelle
Gala Dinner
The World Summit Gala Dinner at Verdala Palace, which continued the gastronomy programme with a feast of traditional Maltese food; and featured performances from Kafena, a collaboration between pianist and songwriter Kris Spiteri and percussionist and singer Daniel Cauchi, as well as Big Band Brothers, a 17-piece big band.
Image: Big Band Brothers play the Gala Dinner, Verdala Palace. Credit: Matthew Mirabelle
A Dedicated Programme of Local Arts and Culture Included:
- Performances from *etnika , a 6-piece band comprising an unlikely mix of artists, characters and Instruments, including the Maltese flute and synth, bijambò and electric guitar, Flamenco footwork and katuba interpreting haunting Maltese lullabies and oddball cabaret tunes.
- Roots/Routes, a journey of poetry and moving image that explores the lives of artists, featuring a diverse selection of films from Malta, the Netherlands, France and Ukraine, and following a route along different realities in Europe, both past and present.
- A performance from Mahan Esfahani, the world renowned harpsichordist who joined the Valletta International Baroque Ensemble to perform works by Scheidt, Bach, Albinoni and Mikel’Ang Vella.
- VIBE (Valletta International Baroque Ensemble), the resident ensemble of the Valletta International Baroque Festival, which was born out of a cultural need for Malta to have its own ensemble specifically focused on the study and performances of Baroque music, including a rich repertoire of Maltese Baroque works.
- Limbo, a performance that explored the notion of migration a verbatim-style, based on a number of interviews recounting the narratives of people from all over the globe – stories of individuals who have experienced some form of migration throughout their lives. Limbo was a Studio 18 production in collaboration with Spazju Kreattiv.
- Lampedusa, a powerful play by Anders Lustagarten’s that contrasts the lives of a fisherman retrieving the bodies of refugees drowned at sea with a Syrian woman facing daily prejudice in the UK, through two interwoven monologues, from Stefano (Mikhail Basmadjian) who narrates his terrifying, yet real stories. And in bleakest corners of the UK, Denise (Pia Zammit) who collects pay day loans, witnessing crippling hardship and faced with a barrage of complaints about immigration.
- Duos at Strada Stretta, an event that brought together three duo artists in a night of music in the vibrant Strada Stretta, including Gianni & Papps; XARULÙ; and Guitar Duo, with Andrew Francica and Chris Tanti.
Find full information on the Cultural Programme within the 7th World Summit Programme.