Appendix 6 - International Music Council

“To negotiate” actually means to sign a binding contract shaped and presented by the
United States. This kind of treatment is the result of its global politico-economic power,
and the objective is to “negotiate” one by one with weak or corrupted governments
willing to cede. Los tratados bilaterales de libre comercios. Alejandro Teitelbaum –
http://www.choike.org/nuevo/informes/2131.html#Listas%20de%20tratados
One of the challenges to overcome is the treatment that makes culture a victim of
commercial negotiation. One of the significant topics in the global commercial
liberalization process is that one referred to intellectual property, patents of invention and
traditional knowledge. These topics are controversial in the World Trade Organization
(WTO) and frequently mentioned in the Free Commerce negotiation. América Latina:
Cuánto vale la cultura. Diego Cevallos. Internet Press Service New Agency (IPS) –
http://ipsnoticias.net/interna.asp?idnews=31160
The virtual magazine of Colombian music “Laboratorio Cultural” (Cultural Lab) shows a
dangerous situation: “Traditional artistic expressions belong to public use and for obvious
reasons are not copyright. Let’s bring to light that indigenous knowledge is in old
people’s memory and in the nature of their customs. Nevertheless, this circumstance
might change according to the free commercial trade’s intentions about the controversial
subject of intellectual property, for which the United States wants to impose the property
of any invention, not since the moment of its creation, but since it is copyright. How then,
could we protect those expressions, property of the inhabitants? How are we going to
defend Indigenous culture?”
La excepción cultural en el TLC. Laboratorio Cultural. Revista Virtual de música
colombiana. – http://www.laboratoriocultural.org/revista/articulos/5/tlc.htm
Free commerce trades consign rights to companies and investors, opposed to Human
Rights agreements protecting equality and vulnerable groups of society.
Is it possible that limitation on the concept of justice for Human Rights, -especially
economical, social and cultural rights- would allow investment companies’ rights to
triumph over human rights?
Los Derechos Humanos en los Procesos de Integración Económica en las Américas.
Washington, D.C. Octubre de 2004.
http://www.choike.org/documentos/tlc_cidh_ddhh.pdf
• On an analysis of the situation as you discover it in responding to previous
questions, how would you define these obstacles and challenges, and by what
methods do you envision them being overcome?
Consider both the international and national spheres.
There are special issues concerning the protection and promotion of traditional
music as the societal contexts from which they arose dissipate or evolve. Challenges
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