Expert Meeting on Artistic Freedom and Cultural Rights


Palais des Nations, The United Nations Office
Geneva, Switzerland

The Human Rights Council, through resolution 10/23 decided to establish, for a period of three years, a new special procedure entitled “independent expert in the field of cultural rights”. The mandate was extended in 2012 for a period of three years, conferring to the current mandate holder the status of Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights (resolution 19/6).

The United Nations special rapporteur in the field of cultural rights has sent a questionnaire to all member states asking them to report on legislations and practices related to artistic freedom and censorship. Freemuse’s Programme Manager has been attached as a consultant for the world organization’s upcoming study and report on conditions and right to artistic freedom of expression. 

Based on the background report as well as a forthcoming experts meeting and an open consultation in Geneva, the UN Special Rapporteur Ms. Farida Shaheed submit her final report to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2013.

. Access TANIA BRUGUERA’S INTRODUCTION TO THE MANIFESTO (English Subtitles)

. Access READ / DOWNLOAD – THE MANIFESTO

. Access QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE RIGHT TO ARTISTIC FREEDOM

. Access FINAL REPORT TO THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (2013)

LIST OF EXPERTS

.Bruguera, Tania

Installation and performance artist, creator of Cátedra Arte de Conducta, initiator of Immigrant Movement International and Partido del Pueblo Migrante and Initiator/Director at Arte Útil Association (Cuba) 

Cuny, Laurence

Human rights lawyer and Coordinator of a residency programme for artists at risk (France) 

.Dacey, Austin

Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Central Florida and adviser, Freemuse (United States of America) 

Hazan, Pierre

Lecturer, University of Geneva; Director of a programme on the issue of memorialisation, Geneva University of Art and Design (Switzerland) 

.Karabuda, Alfons

Composer and chairman of the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (Sweden) 

Knüsel, Pius

Former Director of Pro-Helvetia Swiss Arts Council (Switzerland) 

Iglesias, Marisol

Program Officer, Department of External Relations, WIPO 

Malik, Kenan

Senior Visiting Fellow in the Department of Political, International and Policy Studies at the University of Surrey and Trustee of Index on Censorship (United Kingdom)

Mboya, Joy

Director of the Performing and Visual Arts Centre Ltd. and member of the Arterial Network Steering Committee (Kenya) 

Merkel, Christine M.

Head of the Division of Culture, Memory of the World of the German Commission for UNESCO; Executive Coordinator of the German Federal Coalition for Cultural Diversity (Germany)

Mintcheva, Svetlana

Director of the Programmes at the National Coalition Against Censorship and founder of NCAC Arts Advocacy Project (United States of America) 

. Nadeem, Shahid

Playwright and media professional (Pakistan) 

Obuljen, Nina

Researcher in cultural policies (Croatia) 

. Reitov, Ole

Programme Manager and one of the founders of Freemuse – the World Forum on Music and Censorship (Denmark) 

Saghieh, Nizar

Lawyer (Lebanon) 

Sansour, Larissa

Multimedia artist (Palestine)