Fair International Cultural Cooperation – Language
Fair International Cultural Cooperation is a series of gatherings with which DutchCulture and international partners explore the possibility of an internationally sourced and accepted code of conduct. Each gathering covers a specific theme: funding in 2018, climate change in 2019, and language this year, on September 18 in Amsterdam, during the Forum on European Culture.
What?
When working abroad and collaborating internationally, cultural practitioners enter a space which is already characterized by cultural differences and structural power inequalities. One of these inequalities arise from the use of language. This can happen in three ways:
1. The chosen language of communication usually benefits one party over the other.
2. The used vocabulary is determining how the message is valued.
3. The meaning of the words used vary depend on one’s cultural background.
For whom?
We call upon international cultural directors, artists, thinkers, scientists, critics, policymakers and funders with a focus on language issues and who are actively invested in the topic of fair international cultural cooperation to gather and discuss how international cooperation can be organised in a way that is fair in respect to the usage of language.
Goals of the gathering
The aim of fair international cultural cooperation is to promote international cultural collaborations in a manner that recognises different working modalities and acknowledges unequal systems while promoting mutual respect across cultural differences. During this session in September 2020, we will be asking ourselves: how might we arrange international cultural cooperation’s in a manner that can be considered to be fair with respect to language? We ask you to actively participate in two work sessions which will take place in groups. The sessions will cover the following two questions:
1. Ethical
Which ethical principles do we share concerning the use of language in fair international cultural cooperation? I.e. how might language be used to promote equitable international cultural cooperation and what are the ethical principles that may guide best practices in relation to nondiscriminatory linguiitic conditions?
2. Practical
What are the opportunities and challenges in your organisations, your funding systems, with partners or with audiences in arranging more fair international cultural cooperations with respect to the use of language? I.e. which practical tools or methods could we develop in order to realise the shared ethical principles concerning linguistic fairness? What are the best and ‘failed’ cases we can refer to?
The discussion will be supported by a keynote speaker and additional readings concerning Fair International Cultural Cooperation – Language. Similar to last year, the outcomes of these discussions will be presented as a report and will be used to further the conversation on Fair practices within international cultural cooperation.How to apply
How to apply?
To apply as a participant for the gathering Fair international Cultural Cooperation – Language please fill out the application form. The selection of participants will be made by an external committee. The selection of the participants will be announced before August 1st. The deadline for applications is July 2nd.
There are three options in applying as a participant. Due to the current coronacrisis, we will also facilitate digital participants. Please consider the options carefully and decide what option suits you best:
1. Digital participant in the Language gathering on September 18 (no travelling required)
2. Participant in the Language gathering on 18 September (travelling to Amsterdam required – no financial compensation)
3. Participant in the Language gathering plus the additional programme from 16 – 18 September (travelling to Amsterdam required – financial compensation of 500 euros)*
