Montreal – The board of directors of the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (IFCCD) has approved the request submitted by the Swedish Joint Committee for Artistic and Literary Professionals (Konstnärliga och Litterära Yrkesutövares Samarbetsnämnd or KLYS) to become a member of the Federation.

The Intergovernmental Committee of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions approved last week in Paris funding for 31 projects from amongst some 254 project proposals received, including two presented by groups associated with the international movement of coalitions for cultural diversity.

The second world meeting (http://www.cdc-ccd.org/IMG/pdf/101018_EN_ProgrammU40.pdf) of the U40 -under 40 years old- young culture professionals network provided an opportunity to take stock of various regional initiatives, of the role of civil society in implementing the Convention, of strategies for raising people’s awareness and for applying articles 9 and 19 of the Convention. The meeting also enabled the participants to reflect upon the future of the U40 forum.