States and Civil Society Groups: CanadaÂ’s Promotion of Cultural Diversity and UNESCOÂ’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

The paper traces relationships between the Government of Canada and civil society organizations in moving forward the development of the UNESCO Cultural Diversity Convention, which was approved at the UNESCO General Assembly of October 2005. The Convention addresses key issue sin communication and culture, focusing on the promotion of national and sub-national spheres for communication and cultural exchange, as well as the promotion of human rights and the international exchange of ideas. Have the policies and proposals to promote cultural diversity changed as the forum for discussion of the issue has moved from the International Network on Cultural Policy to UNESCO? Have the roles of civil society groups, international organizations changed over this time. In what ways has the Government of CanadaÂ’s input and role changed with this shift? In what ways has the input of civil society groups, especially that of the Canadian-based International Network for Cultural Diversity, and the Coalition for Cultural Diversity, changed in the last three years? The paper compares a number of proposals, draft texts for the convention, and critiques of draft texts to illustrate approaches to a number of the key issues at stake in the formation of this convention. ..PAT.-Conference Proceeding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]