At the dawn of the 20th anniversary of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, with the support of Canada and the Government of Quebec, is pleased to invite you, on Monday, May 27, in Quebec, to an important day of conferences under the theme Promoting our cultures in the digital age – Conversations among cultural workers from here and abroad in the lead-up to UNESCO’s work on the digital age.

This day is organized by the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, with the collaboration of the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity. It will take place ahead of the inaugural meeting, in Quebec, of a group comprising 18 experts mandated by UNESCO and the 153 Parties to the Convention, to produce recommendations aimed at protecting and promoting culture in the digital environment. 

REGISTER

Learn more about the speakers

During this day, speakers will be invited to envision the future of the 2005 Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions by engaging in a reflection focused on its implementation in the digital environment. 

The day’s program will focus on the following four thematics, which constitute the priorities of reflection of the international group of experts formed by UNESCO: 

• The promotion of linguistic diversity of cultural content; 
• The discoverability of national and local cultural content on digital platforms; 
• The importance of increased and significant transparency of digital platforms around cultural issues, particularly artistic freedom; 
• The impact of artificial intelligence on the cultural and creative industries. 

This bilingual event will be held in person only. Simultaneous interpretation in French and English will be available. Don’t forget to book your accommodations quickly! 

REGISTER

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Moderator: Catalina Briceño

8:00 a.m. – Words of welcome

10:00 a.m. – Passed and Future Perspectives on the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

• Interview with Hon. Sheila Copps, Former Minister of Canadian Heritage
• Interview with Louise Beaudoin, Former Minister; President of the Board of the Regroupement des événements majeurs internationaux (RÉMI) since 2014
• Interview with Véronique Rankin, CEO, Wapikoni mobile

11:30 a.m. – Keynote on the impact of artificial intelligence on the diversity of cultural expressions: overview of major legal challenges

• Casey Chisick, Chair, Entertainment, Media & Sports Group, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP

12 p.m. – 1 p.m. – Lunch

1 p.m. – Round table on the discoverability of national and local cultural content

Preceded by a short recorded interview with Ibán García Del Blanco, Member of the European Parliament, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats

• Renaud Lefebvre, CEO, Syndicat Natonial de l’Édition (SNE)
• Jérôme Payette, CEO, Association des professionnels de l’édition musicale (APEM)
• Carol-Ann Pilon, CEO, Alliance des producteurs francophones du Canada (APFC)
• Claire Pullen, CEO, Australian Writers’ Guild Authorship Collecting Society (AWGACS)

2:30 p.m. – Panel discussion on the importance of increased and meaningful transparency of digital platforms around cultural issues

• Pierre Trudel, Professor, Centre de recherche en droit public (CRDP), Faculty of Law, Université de Montréal
• Sara Bannerman, Professor, Canada Research Chair in Communication Policy and Governance, Department of Communication Studies and Media Arts, McMaster University

3:30 p.m. – Round table on promoting linguistic diversity in cultural content

• Michael Running Wolf, Technical Manager, Mila – Institut québécois d’intelligence artificielle
• Dr. David Ifeoluwa Adelani, Senior Research Fellow, University College London
• Peter Kurzwelly, Chief Operating Officer, AI Sweden

4:30 p.m. – Interview on the diversity of French-language content in the digital age

• Marie-Philippe Bouchard, President and CEO, TV5 Québec Canada