Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS8081
2005-11-29 12:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

USUNESCO GUIDANCE REQUEST: EXHIBITS

Tags:  PREL PHUM ETRD SCUL KPAO UNESCO EUN 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 008081 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETRD SCUL KPAO UNESCO EUN
SUBJECT: USUNESCO GUIDANCE REQUEST: EXHIBITS

REF: Paris 7472

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 008081

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETRD SCUL KPAO UNESCO EUN
SUBJECT: USUNESCO GUIDANCE REQUEST: EXHIBITS

REF: Paris 7472


1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND GUIDANCE REQUEST: Mission
continues to receive requests from American artists,
consortia and NGOs for support in securing UNESCO
exhibit space. This is because navigating the exhibits
bureaucracy at UNESCO is deeply confusing to the
uninitiated, rates to rent out the space are lower for
member states than for individuals, and other member
states regularly support exhibits in UNESCO's
prestigious venues. Mission is aware of the dangers of
appearing to play favorites in advocating exhibits, but
believes that devising a mechanism to sponsor 1 or 2
exhibits per year could be a useful part of the
Mission's public diplomacy. At the same time it would
be a constructive way to engage UNESCO and counter the
all too powerful myth that the U.S. does not value
cultural exchange. GUIDANCE REQUEST: Mission asks
that Washington consider devising a USG mechanism -
perhaps involving the National Commission - for vetting
requests and establishing a protocol of how the Mission
can support selected exhibits. Mission would also
appreciate draft language for a response letter to
interested parties. END SUMMARY AND GUIDANCE REQUEST.

--------------
VETTING CURRENT PRPOSALS
--------------


2. (SBU) Mission is currently in contact with 4
different groups requesting USG support in accessing
UNESCO exhibition space: The Tile Project
(www.transculturalexchange.org) which hopes to exhibit
tiles made by artists and children from around the
globe, a private French citizen who has photographs of
the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Art Child
(www.artchild.org) which proposes an exhibit of
frescoes painted by children around the world, and the
Art Miles Mural project (www.the-art-miles-mural-
project.org),which would exhibit 12 murals painted by
children. U.S. citizens run 3 of the 4, and the French
citizen is seeking to honor the legacy of a U.S.
citizen.


3. (SBU) Mission understands, that for legal reasons,
it cannot advocate a project over others. At the same
time, we note that showcasing at UNESCO the work of

dedicated and talented Americans demonstrates our
country's commitment to cultural exchange. Mission
suggests a National Commission panel that would review
the merits of proposed projects on a quarterly basis.

--------------
PROTOCOL NEEDED
--------------


4. (SBU) All initial requests that we receive have a
financial dimension, at the minimum involving the
transport of exhibits to UNESCO. Mission is quick to
alert requestors that we are unable to provide funding.
However, many of the additional requests include moral
or logistical support for the exhibit from the Mission.
This could include: drafting a letter of support,
navigating the process of getting UNESCO exhibit space,
providing POCs at UNESCO, assisting with setup of the
exhibit, helping to arrange a reception for the opening
night of the exhibit, arranging roundtable discussions
about the exhibit, and so forth. Some of these
requests involve a mere phone call, letter or email,
while others have significant resource implications
(e.g. paying FSNs and/or Officers to help set up an
exhibit, arrange invitations to a related roundtable or
reception.)

--------------
UNESCO's PROCESS
--------------


5. (SBU) UNESCO has 4 exhibition spaces Fontenoy (Hall
Segur),Miollis (Entrance),Fontenoy (7th floor) and
Fontenoy (Area around Room X). It also offers a
cinema. UNESCO offers exhibition space in these venues
to member states and affiliated NGOs at one rate, and
to individuals at a higher rate - neither is cheap.
There are no set guidelines for allocating space and
the order of the waitlist is murky. There is some
evidence of bias in the Bureau of Public Information,
which addresses allocation of exhibit space. For
example, a hastily organized exhibit on cultural
diversity was shown during negotiations in May 2005
which was confusing since Mission was told in March
that there was an 8 month waiting list and the May
cultural diversity meeting had not been set that far in
advance. Sources in the Office of the Director General
have offered to help us navigate the process more
quickly, but they ask that we have a clear proposal and
dates in mind before they weigh in on our behalf.

--------------
MEMBER STATES ADVOCACY
--------------


6. (SBU) Some member states report that since the
exhibition spaces are very expensive and the waiting
list is very long, they receive few inquiries. In the
case of Germany, which, like us, has had inquiries from
groups willing to be on the waiting list and pay the
high fees, it is typically the German National
Commission that evaluates the quality of the exhibit
and its relevance to UNESCO's mandate. If an exhibit
is suitable, they then draft a letter of approval to
UNESCO. The German delegation advised that the
connection with UNESCO is essential, as otherwise you
would have to field requests from artists seeking to
obtain the cachet of the UNESCO exhibition to put on
resumes and so forth, even if their work is unrelated
to UNESCO.


7. (U) COMMENT: Mission continues to seek opportunities
to engage with UNESCO on concrete projects in order to
shift the organization's focus away from creating more
normative instruments. Using the UNESCO exhibit space
for panel-vetted exhibits could be an important part of
our public diplomacy program and would demonstrate how
U.S. citizens value culture and encourage cultural
exchange, and thus affirm mutual values of the U.S. and
UNESCO. It could also provide a low-cost method of
providing cultural programs to our UNESCO audience to
the extent that NGOs and artists can cover major
exhibit costs. In any case, Mission will need a
mechanism for addressing the requests and language for
a response letter to these inquiries. END COMMENT.
Koss