Expert meeting on the statistical measurement of the diversity of cultural expressions

The meeting is part of the UIS framework of activities to develop a comprehensive set of cultural statistics and to better understand the statistical implications of articles 9 and 19 of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

In particular, the experts will:

- identify existing methodologies that can help measure the diversity of cultural expressions;
- study ways to assess and monitor this diversity. During the meeting, the experts will prepare a blueprint for future collaborative research in this area.


An information document will be made available to the First Intergovernmental Committee of the Convention on the Promotion and Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (which will meet in Ottawa, Canada, 10 – 14 December 2007).


Adopted in 2005, the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions is a binding international legal instrument, which entered into force on 18 March 2007.


The Convention aims to:
- reaffirm the sovereign right of States to draw up cultural policies;
- recognize the specific nature of cultural goods and services as vehicles of identity, values and meaning;
- strengthen international cooperation and solidarity so as to favour the cultural expressions of all countries.



For more information, please consult the following resources:

Working documents :

- "Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions: Possible Statistical Implications?", by Mirja Liikkanen, Senior researcher, Statistics Finland

- "Measuring cultural diversity: A definition based on an overview of existing literature", by Heritiana Ranaivoson, Ph.D. student, Université Paris 1, Maison des Sciences Économiques



Information documents:

- Agenda

- List of participants (provisional)

- Presentation on the 2005 Convention