Unesco-ASCHBERG Programme |29 November 2023
The first meeting for the second phase held on Monday morning
Findings from Phase I presented to key partners
Artists and artisans are groups of individuals who contribute greatly in the economy of a nation but yet they are among those who face numerous challenges in regards to copyright, fair income, access to social protection, finance as well as the impact of digitalisation.
The legal texts in regards to conditions of artists are poorly respected or non-existent compared to the current global context. With the aim of finding a way forward to address all these issues, the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts submitted a project through an annual call for project under the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Aschberg programme.
The UNESCO-Aschberg programme provides technical and financial assistance to government institutions and civil society organisations to revise and design regulatory and policy frameworks that strengthen artistic freedom among other aspects.
Seychelles is now benefiting from the expertise of an international expert, Avril Joffe, who was in the country back in June to kick-start the project.
Ms Joffe is back in Seychelles on a one-week mission to work on the second phase of the policy-making project under the Unesco-Aschberg programme.
The first meeting for the second phase which was held at the National Museum of History had a very poor turnout on Monday morning. Among those who were supposed to be attending the meeting were the advisory board members of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, board members of the Seychelles Authors and Composers Society (Sacs).
Members of the Media, Youth, Sports and Culture Committee in the National Assembly could not make it due to the ongoing discussions on the national budget, but had sent a representative. One of the culture institute’s advisory board member, Dr Marie-Reine Hoareau, and Cindy Botsoie from Sacs were also present to listen to the presentations.
Presentations during the meeting were from the Attorney General’s office which explained the legislative process in Seychelles, the international expert who spoke about the need to define ‘artist’ in Seychelles and on the ‘Status of the artist’.
Ms Joffe gave examples of laws and policies relating to artists from various countries and how these places define the term artist.
The permanent secretary of the institute, Cecile Kalebi who was also present, said the series of meetings with key partners being held in the second phase are important as this represents one step closer in analysing and finalising the status of artists in Seychelles.
Another presentation was from the Islands Legal Solutions on the legal gap analysis on the status of the artists in Seychelles.
Speaking to the media, the project coordinator in Seychelles and international consultant at the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, Miera Savy, said culture in all its aspects is an important element in the development of a country and its economy.
She added the work being done is crucial and it needs the input of key partners, and the law to be drafted is not here for only five years but for a lifetime.
Mrs Savy said this is not just a project for the culture institute but a national one which will address key issues relating to artists, artisans and cultural practitioners.
