The 3rd Meeting of Ministers of Culture of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) will take place September 18-19 in Havana’s Convention Center.

The event will see the participation of 18 Culture Ministers and a confirmed 28 delegations from various countries of the region, Cuban Deputy Minister for Culture, Fernando Rojas, informed at a press conference. UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova will also attend the event.

The Meeting will be preceded by the UNESCO Workshop for the adoption of a Work Plan for Culture for Latin America and the Caribbean 2016-2021, which will focus on articulating a cultural action plan as defined in two previous meetings held in Suriname (2013) and Venezuela (2014).

Within this plan are issues such as the defense and conservation of tangible and intangible heritage, the prevention and fight against the illegal trafficking of cultural goods, social and cultural development, diversity of cultural expression and the strengthening of artistic exchanges, among others.

The Meeting aims to reinforce new projects such as the creation of the Caribbean Regional School of Arts in Jamaica, as well as consolidating other already existing projects such as the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) and the Traveling Caribbean Film Showcase, Rojas explained.

Previous to the Meeting, on September 17, the 6th Meeting of ALBA-TCP Culture Ministers will take place in Cuba for the first time.

As part of this busy schedule, bilateral meetings and the signing of agreements will also take place.