In cooperation between the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia, represented by its specialized institution, the Tunis International Center for Digital Cultural Economy, the Second “Regional Forum on Cultural and Creative Industries for Development in Arab Countries” was convened on November 27-29, 2024, in Hammamet, Tunisia.
Participants in the Forum underlined the importance of leveraging the sustainable competitive advantages of Arab culture, building human capacities in this field, and developing an integrated structure for cultural and creative industries in Arab countries. The aim is to enhance cultural action, implement social inclusion policies, ensure inclusive access to information, knowledge, applications, and content, and promote the use of information technology in education, training, production, and dissemination of cultural content.
The Forum recommended increased focus on the following areas:
- Developing an ambitious plan to attract private capital in Arab countries to invest in cultural industries and creative economy;
- Fostering the role of cultural industries and creative economy in achieving development goals in Arab countries, particularly in the areas of investment, employment, and youth and women integration;
- Developing a joint action plan to support start-ups operating in digital cultural economy in Arab countries;
- Establishing shared content platforms, and promoting cultural policies and legislation related to cultural and creative industries and start-ups in Arab countries;
- Promoting a public-private model to finance the production of Arab cultural content;
- Fostering the role of digital cultural economy in making Arab cities more resilient and sustainable.
The Forum emphasized the need to create specialized regional Arab clusters for the production and marketing of highly competitive digital cultural content, and to leverage artificial intelligence to promote access to the global market.
At the close of the Forum, participants announced the launch of two projects, sponsored by ALECSO and the Tunis International Center for Digital Cultural Economy:
- Launch of the “Arab Network of Creative and Artistic Laboratories and Residencies", headquartered at the Tunis International Center for Digital Cultural Economy;
- Launch of the ALECSO Observatory for Cultural Industries and Creative Economy.
The Observatory will carry out the following tasks:
- Monitor the state of cultural and creative industries in Arab countries; update, analyze, and document the relevant data and information; and establish databases on the economics of culture;
- Conduct research and studies on cultural and creative industries, and explore their future prospects in areas such as investment, employment, social integration, and support for development;
- Contribute to the design and evaluation of programs and policies aimed at improving the state of cultural and creative industries in Arab countries;
- Collaborate with relevant international organizations, experts, and research centers;
- Publish periodic reports that monitor and analyze the development of cultural and creative industries in Arab countries and worldwide;
- Participate in international and regional forums, and organize training and networking programs to enhance the role of cultural and creative industries in Arab development policies.
