Extract

Anna Steinkamp

Networks are not a new phenomenon but are at the core of societal constitution. However, the notion appears more adequate nowadays than ever. When resources are scarce, social networks are considered to be one of the most appropriate organisational forms of the 21st century given their flexible, adaptable, non-hierarchical and open character. In a world of disorder and uncertainty, they offer the opportunity to combine efforts, quickly connect people and knowledge and provide orientation, although they often struggle to sustain continuity. This is also true for networks of cultural cooperation – as shown here at the example of the international U40 Network “Cultural Diversity 2030” of young experts.

This article presents an approach for making international networks of cultural cooperation more effective and sustainable – as tools for international cooperation, actors of global governance and thus as platforms to drive social and political changes in answer to current global challenges. The proposed model can serve as a resource to assess how to make networks in the international cultural field more effective and sustainable.

UNESCO’s Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions is a complex tool to promote cultural diversity. Stakeholders such as governments, civil society or cultural practitioners are challenged by the task of translating these broad political ideas into ground realities. Nonetheless, the Convention’s immediate and long-term objectives can only be achieved through the active involvement of all its stakeholders.

Young people play a crucial role when it comes to the...