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)