Latest news with #CulturalDiplomacy
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Australia's reckoning with Indigenous people takes one cultural glide forward, two political steps back
For several decades First Nations artists have done much of the heavy lifting in Australian cultural diplomacy. And now Wesley Enoch as chair of Creative Australia has to fix a damaged sector. Archie Moore, Tracey Moffatt, Warwick Thornton, Deborah Mailman, William Barton, Tony Albert, Judy Watson, David Gulpilil, Christian Thompson, Ivan Sen, Emily Kam Kngwarray, to name just some of the many who have won accolades for their stunning, original work and taken their place at the peaks of cultural power and influence. Winning hearts and changing minds as they went. Not so long ago this suggested a long overdue reckoning with the First Peoples; a reckoning that the rest of the world was watching in the detached way that those who can be bothered note what is happening elsewhere. Australia is diffident about cultural diplomacy, reluctant to exercise its soft power (in anything other than sport), as the abandonment of ABC Asia Pacific TV demonstrated – although the ABC has since revamped its international service. The global celebration of First Nations artists was a powerful way of showing that modern Australia had thrown off its colonial legacy, had grown into a truly mature and reconciled nation and come to terms with the ancient human heritage that makes it truly unique. Creative Australia put First Nations stories first in its strategic priorities, Dfat's cultural grants emphasised the persuasive power of 65,000 years of unique civilisation, and Australia lobbied hard for Unesco recognition of cultural heritage at Gunditjmara and now Murujuga. Yet as we approach the second anniversary of the decision by most Australians to reject meaningful recognition of First Peoples, the tension at the heart of this international celebration of the talent, stories and unique ways of seeing, being and doing comes clearly into focus. Is it simple hypocrisy or the old Australian way – one glide forward, two quick steps back? There are markers. The silence about discussing the referendum or to even consider national truth-telling. The ratty politics rejecting welcomes to country and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. The patchy reporting of the coronial findings of institutional racism in the NT Police and the Yoorrook inquiry's findings of historic genocide. The federal court's hand-wringing decision that accepted government policies caused wilful destruction of culture and environment in the Torres Strait Islands but that it was unable to do anything about it. These recent events suggest that coming to terms with the enduring impact of the past is at best the latter, two quick steps back. At worst, to me, it suggests further signs of what Jeremy Bentham once called an 'incurable flaw'. All this came to mind as I stood outside Tate Modern waiting in line under an unusually hot summer sun for my bag to be checked. My English friend and I were on our way to the third floor of the vast former turbine to see the Emily Kam Kngwarray exhibition. 'Why is it on now?' he asked. He knows Australia, has spent time in central Australia and understood how the voice referendum hung heavily there. It's a reasonable question. And there are many answers. Some practical, others freighted with meaning. The director of the Tate told the press it was part of her plan to celebrate older female artists who should be considered great masters (mistresses?). The art press buzzed that this was one of three major exhibitions of Indigenous artists in London this summer – the others from Canada and Peru. Indigeneity is 'a thing'. The collaboration to celebrate the 'old lady's' work between the Tate, National Gallery of Australia and the women of Alhalker country began not long after the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, declared there would be a referendum to secure meaningful recognition of First Peoples in the Australian constitution. These big retrospective shows are years in the making, especially ones that require the active involvement of local communities as well as major galleries and high-profile owners around the world. When the extraordinary show first opened in Canberra just months after the vote, there was sadness about what might have been, about how the exhibition might have celebrated a new beginning. In London two years later, this is a barely acknowledged backdrop. Those seeing her work for the first time grapple with what it represents, how someone who only started painting in her 70s produced work as fresh and innovative as any major 20th-century artist – but how it grew out of her knowledge, skill and dreaming. Like all great artists the work is truly hers, grounded in her unique perspective. What comes as a surprise, to those who have only seen her images in books and posters, is their three-dimensional quality. Kngwarray layered paint to evoke stories of such extraordinary depth that they carry a fourth dimension of infinite time, 'everywhen'. It invites the viewer into a unique way of seeing and being. Another Australian artist is also celebrated on level 3 of the Tate. Leigh Bowery, who in his short life became a London gay style icon. Both Emily and Leigh speak to a distinctive Australian sensibility and energy. They prove that from an unlikely starting point anything is possible. Answering my friend's question, I said I wished the curators had projected The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, where flamboyant gay culture meets the outback, on the wall between the two iconoclastic Australians, to help viewers literally join the dots between the two exhibitions. Culture is complicated, cultural diplomacy can take time, but culture might still lead politics. Julianne Schultz an emeritus professor at Griffith University and the author of The Idea of Australia
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Jersey programme representatives meet France and UK leaders
Three young leaders from a Jersey programme aimed at strengthening ties between the UK and France have met President Emanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Franco-British Council (FBC) young leaders James Linder, Victor Guerin and local leader Alexander Lake met the two men at a three-day seminar in the the event, France announced it would be loaning the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK more than 900 years after its discussions were also held, designed to "help shape the future of Franco‑British relations". Discussions focused on defence, climate cooperation, science and technology and cross‑Channel Linder said it was a "great experience to represent Jersey".He said: "Meeting President Macron and hearing Prime Minister Starmer speak was a real honour, and I enjoyed being part of discussions on the big challenges facing Europe."It is a brilliant opportunity for people from the island to get involved, build connections, and make a difference." The young leaders attended following the FBC's recent signing of a five-year partnership for the Government of Jersey aimed at providing "dedicated opportunities for islanders to join Franco-British Council programmes".Mr Guerin said exchanging cultural diplomacy helped "shape our shared future".He said: "The highlight for me has been witnessing the signature of the historic agreement for the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the British Museum - a moment that embodies the evolving dialogue between France and the UK. "Cultural exchange is not peripheral to diplomacy, it is its living heart."
ABC News
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Yolŋu power: the art of Yirrkala explores First Nations' worldview in hopes of promoting shared understanding
Hundreds of traditional artworks, connecting generations of remote First Nations communities for almost a century, are now part of a public showcase in Sydney. Yolŋu power: the art of Yirrkala opened at the Art Gallery of New South Wales this weekend, bringing together almost 300 pieces created by 98 Aboriginal artists over eight decades. The pieces are from parts of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, and include an array of mediums such as bark painting, drawing, video, print, sculpture — both wooden and metal — and immersive installations. Cara Pinchbeck, a senior curator at the gallery, said the artworks have helped explain the First Nations' worldview "as a form of cultural diplomacy" for more than 90 years, in hopes of bringing people together through shared understanding. She explained Yirrkala art-making had centred on an "invitation to walk together" since creators first began sharing their work with non-Aboriginal people in the mid-1930s. "One particular individual, who I was interviewing one day, said 'they're amazing, beautiful works, but no one appreciates … how important they are in terms of documenting our law,'" she said. "The main thing to take from all of these works is the generosity of the artists in constantly sharing with us their cultural knowledge [and] connection to Country. Ms Pinchbeck said the way art styles have historically adapted in response to changing social, cultural, and political circumstances had formed a key part of the exhibition. Bingyu Warripanda, chair of the Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre in Yirrkala, said storytelling through art dated back to Australia's colonisation, with bark paintings and designs drawn in sand used to communicate beyond language barriers. "It is really important to share this, Australia." Maud Page, director of the gallery, described the showcase as "not only aesthetically breathtaking", but "incredibly powerful" in mapping history. She said the exhibition was "a really significant landmark" that shared "Australia's most internationally acclaimed arts community" with the public. "The exhibition is a testament to the strength and sovereignty of Yolŋu artists," Ms Page said. Wurrandan Marawili, from the Maḏarrpa clan, encouraged people from all walks of life to journey together "for a better future" and said his art was driven by a desire to help the world understand "Yolŋu power". His sculpture was welded together over several months, repurposing materials collected from the rubbish and along the side of the road. Like many other artists in the showcase, he began creating at a young age with advice passed down from his father. "Not just for this [medium], he taught me everything — dancing, singing," he said. "When he was alive, I was always there beside him, watching and listening. "We are following our old people, doing [art] in the same way." Naminapu Maymuru-White also began creating in her youth after watching others, developing a special interest in depicting the Milky Way. Her artworks represent the "two rivers" her Maŋgalili clan believe to exist, one running along the earth and one flowing into the sky that guides spirits. The artist taught her children to continue the creative legacy, passing her skills on to the next generation the same way her father did. "Dad said to us, 'you continue doing your art in my footsteps,'" she said. She hoped that sharing Yirrkala art would help society understand her people and make them feel more equal, "so that we can work together". Inside the gallery, attendees are guided along a short journey through Yirrkala and into a room detailing sacred designs for the 16 clans of North-East Arnhem Land — which are painted on the body for traditional ceremonies and reflect familial ties — then taken through changing art styles and mediums over time, to the artists of today. The exhibition will run until October 6.
The National
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Abu Dhabi Festival highlights Emirati music talent at London's Kensington Palace concert
Emirati musicians and composers took centre stage at a recital held at Kensington Palace in London. Organised by the Abu Dhabi Festival in partnership with UK non-profit the Peace and Prosperity Trust, the invitation-only performance on Friday was held in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The evening featured soprano Fatima Al Hashmi and baritone Ahmed Al Hosani, and marked the culmination of a three-week residency in London, where both artists trained under Welsh tenor Dennis O'Neill. The London concert is part of the Abu Dhabi Festival's continuing international programme, which this year included the March premiere of its co-commission of Claude Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande at Paris Opera and a December concert by the UN Chamber Music Society at New York's Carnegie Hall. All these international initiatives serve a wider purpose, says Abu Dhabi Festival artistic director Huda Al Khamis Kanoo, from advancing the UAE's cultural diplomacy to supporting Emiratis in the creative industries through talent development and technical training. She describes the London performance as the first in an continuing partnership with the Peace and Prosperity Trust, a UK non-profit founded in 1995 that focuses on supporting cultural talent in the Middle East, and an example of how Emirati artists are appearing on international stages. 'What we are doing with these programmes is really more about what you are going to see in the future on stage, and that is more and more Emiratis performing in international spaces with world-class voices,' Alkhamis-Kanoo says. 'And these will be powerful moments because we didn't exist on these international stages before and now we have the exceptional talent to do so. When they are listening to the music, they are hearing who we are as nation and what we represent.' That principle guided Emirati composer Ihab Darwish in writing an evocative five minute piece Ruins of Time, which premiered at the Kensington Palace concert. Blending Arabic historical and contemporary melodies with elements of western classical music, the work was performed by an ensemble featuring strings, piano, qanun and the ney, a traditional Levantine reed flute. As someone who composed similar momentous pieces, including the Abu Dhabi Festival commissioned Symphony of Three: Peace, Love, Tolerance in 2023 to celebrate the arrival of the Abrahamic Family House, he says the personal satisfaction of these compositions are unparalleled. 'The impact for me is deeper and not only in the way the music is received, but how I essentially view myself – and that's more as a cultural ambassador than a composer,' he says. 'And as a musician from the UAE, we have so much inspiration to pull from, whether it's our own heritage or the fact we have more than 200 different nationalities who coexist together, that we have a responsibility to create music that at the very least provides an understanding of how we as people can understand each other more through peace and tolerance.' Al Hashmi, whose repertoire included arias from Camille Saint-Saens' Samson and Delilah and Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, says the London concert and residency programme pushed her creatively and offered valuable insight into the music industry. 'We've learnt about the different paths to becoming an opera singer, whether through full productions or recital work, because they require different approaches,' she says. 'It's been a wonderful three weeks of intensive vocal training with people from different cultures, backgrounds and experiences. We've learnt so much not just technically, but also about the structure of the music industry in the UK and Europe, and how it differs from the UAE and the wider Gulf region. We were introduced to the role of managers, how auditions are conducted, and how singers are selected for opera productions.' Al Hosani, who delivered stirring renditions of Neapolitan songs by celebrated 20th-century Italian composer Ernesto De Curtis, describes the experience as akin to an opera boot camp. 'Each day was filled with learning, refining technique, interpreting music more deeply, and collaborating with incredibly talented artists and mentors,' he says. 'It pushed me out of my comfort zone and reminded me that excellence in this art form demands constant dedication and humility. I came out of the experience more confident and more connected to my purpose as a performer.' That work, Al Hashmi says, is only half done. Trained academically as an architectural engineer, she views her pursuit of a career in opera not only as a personal calling but as a message to fellow Emiratis to follow their passions, and as a step towards helping build the UAE's infrastructure for a performing arts industry. 'I do see it as a huge responsibility,' she says, 'not only to develop myself, but to contribute to the growth of the nation as a whole.' Alkhamis-Kanoo echoes that sentiment, describing the concert as part of a broader professional and personal legacy-building effort. 'Whatever I built, I believe in giving opportunity. It's an investment. And when you invest, you don't just sprinkle funds and stop. It's a legacy you are building for a lifetime,' she says. 'If an Emirati is not on the stage, they could be backstage as a director, an engineer, a designer, or a sound technician. The talent and drive are there. We just have to keep opening doors and creating opportunities.
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Liberia Calls for Global Solidarity in Restitution and Restoration of African Heritage at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Africa Week 2025
In a powerful keynote address delivered at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris during Africa Week 2025, Ambassador Lorenzo Llewellyn Witherspoon, Special Envoy on Cultural&Heritage Diplomacy for the Republic of Liberia, issued a resounding call for global solidarity to restore African heritage through the transformative pillars of education, culture, and science. Speaking on the theme 'Global Solidarity for the Restitution and Restoration of African Heritage through Education, Culture, and Sciences,' Ambassador Witherspoon emphasized the historical and contemporary relevance of Africa's contributions to global knowledge, as well as the critical need to reclaim displaced cultural treasures and repair the intellectual rupture caused by colonialism. Africa has always been at the forefront of human ingenuity,' Ambassador Witherspoon declared. 'From the advanced ironwork of the Nok civilization to the astronomical knowledge of the Dogon and the learning centers of Timbuktu, our legacy is rich. Yet, this legacy has been systematically erased, appropriated, or ignored.' He called for a new global compact—one based not on symbolic gestures but on concrete actions. These include restoring displaced cultural artifacts, investing in Africa's research capacity, revising curricula to reflect African perspectives, and addressing historical injustices that continue to impede the continent's development. The Ambassador drew attention to the intellectual and cultural dispossession experienced across Africa and the African diaspora, invoking the CARICOM Reparatory Justice agenda and linking it to Africa's broader fight for dignity and historical memory. 'Destroying historical memory is a crime requiring reparations,' he stated, reinforcing the role of museums, educational institutions, and cultural exchange in healing intergenerational trauma. Highlighting the plight of the African diaspora, Ambassador Witherspoon spoke movingly about the forced separation of enslaved Africans from their homelands, describing it as a 'fundamental element of the colonial agenda' that continues to inflict cultural and social alienation. 'Reparatory justice,' he affirmed, 'must include restoring dignity and rebuilding the bridges of belonging. In a poignant moment, the Ambassador recounted a conversation with a young Liberian archaeology student who had seen her ancestral mask locked behind glass in a European museum. Her haunting question—'How do we connect with our ancestors when we must buy tickets to see the only symbols left to remember them?'—underscored the deep emotional toll of cultural dispossession. Ambassador Witherspoon urged the international community to view 2025 as a turning point: 'Let us designate 2025 as our fifth year—a year characterized by deliberate action, following years of preparation and reflection.' He concluded with a call to transform Africa Week from a ceremonial gathering into a launchpad for systemic change. 'Let this be the year we reclaim what is ours—not simply in artifacts or archives, but in spirit, story, and self-determination. Together, through science, culture, and education, we can shape a future in which African heritage is not only restored but empowered to thrive. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.
