A vocational school creates new job options for young Argentinians

With a rich and varied tradition of music, dance, theatre, cinema, literature and design, creative industries in Argentina are booming. This vibrant sector employs some 10,000 people and represents 3% of the country’s GDP. While market demand for skilled practitioners is also on the rise, many talented young people find it hard to break into this area. Read more

Critical steps taken to nurture new creativity in Lao PDR

Since the late 1980s, Laotians have been increasingly exposed to other cultural influences. Internet cafes are now found in the large cities and are popular with young people. While traditional arts are widely appreciated and continue to play an important part in shaping national values and identity, new forms of creative expression are also blossoming and gaining popularity. Read more

Our team of experts are busy evaluating the proposals for funding submitted during our third call in March. An impressive 219 projects from 68 countries were sent in. The majority of proposals came from non-government organisations working at the national level. Final decisions about funding allocations will be made by the IFCD governing board – the Intergovernmental Committee – in December 2012.

It is official. As all IFCD funds support governments, cultural entrepreneurs and practitioners in developing countries, government contributions to the Fund are 100% Official Development Assistance eligible. We thought this deserved highlighting here as a recent IFCD review revealed that few donors were aware of this opportunity.

Over 700 partygoers showed their support for creativity everywhere at an outdoor silent disco on 16 May 2012 in Bonn, Germany, raising over US$4000 for IFCD. The event, ‘Silent Party – Diversity for the ears’, was organized by the Bonn-based music platform, Taxi MunDJal Musix, with support from the German Commission for UNESCO. Well done and thank you!

Here’s a word from one of our biggest supporters. “The IFCD is essential since international cooperation is one of the pillars of the Convention. If we want to be part of the decision making and get projects funded from the Fund, it is important for all Parties to contribute even if the sum is symbolic,” said Vera Lacoeuilhe from the Permanent Delegation of Saint Lucia to UNESCO.