© Myung Sook Kim, Nulhui Dance Company

Following the success of the Second World Conference on Arts Education (Seoul, 2010), the UNESCO’s General Conference at its 36th session in 2011 proclaimed the 4th week of May as the International Arts Education Week.
The week of 21-27 May 2012 marks this year's International Arts Education Week.

Its first edition will be celebrated at UNESCO Headquarters on 23 May 2012 with various activities co-organized by UNESCO’s Culture Sector and the Government of the Republic of Korea.




The International Arts Education Week aims at increasing the international community’s awareness on the importance of arts education and at reinforcing its cooperation by promoting cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and social cohesion.

Gathering arts education actors from the civil society, professional organizations and academic world, the main event will comprise two parts: a symposium alternating thematic debates and presentations of best practices and the celebratory ceremony with representatives of UNESCO and prestigious personalities in arts education. The ceremony will be accompanied by cultural performances from Korea.
The symposium, which working languages will be English and French, will focus on two major themes: the “Implementation of the Seoul Agenda: Goals for the Development of Arts Education” and “Cultural Diversity in and through Arts Education”.

Symposium Programme
“Arts Education, from diversity to sustainability”


Opening Speeches:
Francesco Bandarin, Assistant Director-General for Culture, UNESCO
Park Jae-Eun, President, Korea Arts and Culture Education Service

Theme I: The Implementation of the Seoul Agenda: Goals for the Development of Arts Education

Moderator: Larry O’Farrell, holder of the UNESCO Chair in Arts and Learning, Queen’s University, Canada

Panelists
- Mohammed Al Amri, Assistant Professor of Art Education, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman “Implementing the Seoul Agenda for developing arts education in the Arab region”
- Simone Dudt, Secretary General of European Music Council, Germany
“The Bonn Declaration – An example of implementing the Seoul Agenda for arts education in Europe with a focus on music”
- Wilma Kuiperi-Jansen, President of Aruba International Arts Foundation, Aruba
“Seoul, Salsa and Soca: The Arts Education Agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean”
- Samuel Leong, Director of UNESCO Observatory for Research in Local Cultures and Creativity in Education, China
"The Seoul Agenda in Hong Kong and the nearby region"
- Robert Malcolm McLaren, Director of CHIPAWO World (Zimbabwean arts education trust), South Africa/Zimbabwe
"Awareness, Knowledge and Attitude: the challenges of arts education in Africa"

Theme II: Cultural diversity in and through arts education

Moderator: Ralph Buck, President of World Alliance for Arts Education, New Zealand

Panelists
- Emily Achieng’ Akuno, Director of the Centre for Creative and Cultural Industries, Kenya Polytechnic University College, Kenya
“Arts Education in Kenya: Public and Private sector initiatives”
- Zahia Ziouani, Artistic Director of Divertimento Symphonic Orchestra, Algeria/France
“Arts Education: A bridge to Excellence”
- Beng Cabangon, Executive Director of Philippine Educational Theater Association, Philippines "Same, Same, but Different: Experimentations on Cultural Diversity in and through Arts Education"
- Elise Longuet, Administrator of the Foundation Culture and Diversity, France
“The Foundation Culture and Diversity, a French example, struggle against discrimination in access to arts and cultural education”
- Itziar Rubio, Expert consultant for Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), Argentina/Spain
“Creativity and Education in Latin America: UNESCO’s experience in implementing DIVERSIDADES pedagogical kit in the South Cone”

Ceremony Programme

7.00 pm Opening Ceremony
- Intro
Daegum duo by Jeonseung Kim & Gunheee Lee
- Opening Address & Welcoming Speech
> Irina Bokova, Director-General, UNESCO
> Choe Kwang-Shik, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea

- Performance from Arts Education Programs
> Marimba performance by Kyongho & Jaeeun Park
> Arts Flower Seed School Project by Baeyeong Elementary School

- Congratulatory message and performance from Goodwill Ambassador Ivry Gitlis

- Special Performance by Mr Carlinhos Brown

- Traditional Korean cultural performances
> Daegum solo by Jeongseung Kim
> The Lucid Spring by Myung Sook Kim ‘Nulhui’ Dance Company

- Finale
Korean percussion performance by Hanullim and Co.