3 mars

• Une fonctionnaire de l'UNESCO nommée « Professionnelle de l’Enseignement supérieur de l’année »
  Le 28 janvier dernier, Stamenka Uvalic-Trumbic, de la Division de l'enseignement supérieur de l’UNESCO, a reçu la distinction de « Professionnelle de l’Enseignement supérieur de l’année » de la part du Conseil pour l'accréditation dans l'enseignement supérieur (CHEA). Stamenka Uvalic-Trumbic et Judith Eaton, présidente du CHEA, lors de la cérémonie de remise du prix. Le prix a été signé par 21 personnalités de la communauté de l’enseignement supérieur. « C’est un grand honneur pour l’UNESCO et pour moi personnellement », a dit Mme Uvalic-Trumbic, actuelle chef de la Section pour la réforme, l'innovation et l'assurance de la qualité à l’UNESCO.
  Plus information : http://www.unesco.org/fr/education/dynamic-content-single-view/news/unesco_official_named_international_higher_education_
  professional_of_the_year/back/9195/cHash/d756b5fbd7/

2 mars

• [english] Théâtre de Quat’sous / FABG. Quebec (Canada)
  Théâtre de Quat’sous was established in 1963 by a group of actors under the direction of Paul Buissonneau. Together they bought a synagogue located on Avenue des Pins in Montréal and transformed it into a small theater that never ceased to present daring productions from young creators including the mythical psychedelic happening “Osstidcho” in may 1968. Serious problems related to the security and comfort of the users combined with the need for production spaces led to the decision to demolish and rebuild Théâtre de Quat’sous on it’s actual site after many feasibility studies demonstrated the impossibility to renovate the crumbling wood and brick structure built in 1907 as three row houses.
  Plus information en anglais : http://www.archdaily.com/50039/theatre-de-quat’sous-fabg/

• [english] King Abdullah II House of Culture & Art / Zaha Hadid Architects (Jordan)
  The new King Abdullah II House of Culture & Art in Jordan designed by Zaha Hadid Architects has been announced this week. The project comes after a competition awarded in June 2008, which included Snøhetta (Norway), Atelier Christian de Portzamparc (France), Delugan Meissl (Austria), Henning Larsens Tegnestue (Denmark) and Kerry Hill Architects (Singapore). The project consists in a performing arts and cultural centre that includes a 1600-seat concert theatre, 400-seat theatre, educational centre, rehearsal rooms, and galleries. As you can see on the renderings, the building is mainly a carved volume, with voids crossing it creating several visual relations. On the outside, the volume looks very simple, contrasting with the carved spaces that express themselves on the facade.
  Plus information en anglais : http://www.archdaily.com/51018/king-abdullah-ii-house-of-culture-art-zaha-hadid-architects/

• [english] Steven Holl Architects selected to design new Arts Building for University of Iowa
  Steven Holl Architects in collaboration with BNIM Architects, has won the commission for the new art studio facility for the University of Iowa (UI) Arts campus. The new building is to replace an original arts building from 1936, which was heavily damaged during a flood of the University of Iowa campus in June 2008. The proposed site is directly adjacent to and northwest of the Art Building West, designed by Steven Holl Architects, which since its opening in 2006 has received numerous awards, including the AIA 2007 Institute Honor Award for Architecture.
  Plus information en anglais : http://www.archdaily.com/51316/steven-holl-architects-selected-to-design-new-arts-building-for-university-of-iowa/

• [english] History - International Women’s Day: Looking Back
  International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women. In 1975, during International Women's Year, the United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day on 8 March. Two years later, in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions. In adopting its resolution, the General Assembly recognized the role of women in peace efforts and development and urged an end to discrimination and an increase of support for women’s full and equal participation.
  Plus information en anglais : http://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/iwd/history.html

• [english] Essen in Germany, Istanbul in Turkey and Pécs in Hungary are the 2010 European Capitals of Culture
  Cultural events will be held throughout the year to highlight and showcase the attractions the cities have to offer.
  • Essen has chosen the banner of RUHR2010 for the year ahead and have planned a variety of events to show that “Essen and the Ruhr area don’t breathe dust anymore but the future. RUHR.2010 visualizes the transformation of the former mining region. It makes the future touchable with new ways of arts and culture around unconventional locations. It is a cultural capital for everybody and by all.” (MEP Jens Geier).
  • As Istanbul, Turkey, is hoping to establish itself as a firm candidate for European Union membership, this is a great opportunity to showcase what’s on offer. “British Liberal Member Andrew Duff MEP remarked: There is no better place to get a sense of Europe’s rich history than Istanbul. Only Rom compares. Today Istanbul is Turkey’s critical test-bed. The great city points the way forwards towards a multicultural, liberal and more prosperous future”
  • Pécs in Hungary is the third capital of culture in 2010. “Hungarian EPP member Ádám Kósa said of Pécs ‘it is a traditionally multi-racial city and it has a university with more than 30, 000 students. Everyone living here, or staying here for a while brings their own culture along, which creates the unique spirit of the city. As the slogan says, Pécs is a borderless city.’”

  Plus information en anglais : http://europedirectleeds.org.uk/?p=2027

• [english] EU study on "Map and analyse existing websites in Europe"
  The objectives of this study are to map and analyse existing websites in Europe which are used as a means for exchange of information and debate on culture, artistic expression and as a space for an exchange of opinions on the European project, with a view to proposing recommendations on how to enhance the use of the internet as a means of information exchange and debate at the European level on cross-sector issues in the field of culture and artistic expression.
  The study was carried out for the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (European Commission DG Education and Culture) coordinated by empirica with the partners P.A.U. Education and and IBK Remscheid. Support has been provided through National Correspondents from the ENIR network and age-culture.net.
  Plus information en anglais : http://www.culturemap.net/

1 mars

• [english] Teatro Castro Alves refurbishment / Estudio America. Salvador (Brazil)
  Brazilian architects Estudio America won a competition in Salvador for the refurbishment and expansion of the Castro Alves Theatre.
  The project attends the proposition to intervene in so-called three levels: REQUALIFICATION, REALLOCATION and ADDITION. A strict chronogram, divided in steps, will be followed for the retrofit, focused on maintaining the NTCA functioning during the construction, having as a warranty its feasibility and the proposition for future partnerships. The architectural party was created with two strategies in mind: the preservation of the existing volume and the construction of a new evolving topography – an extension of the city’s territory – organizing the flows from the main accesses and the communicability of its functions. An extension of the level of city’s public circulation is created through a plaque that intercepts the existing theater volume and enlarges it on a suspended garden. The negative spaces are occupied, thus giving strength to the idea of creating a cover that generates shadow. The physical and functional permeability between the existing and proposed buildings make them one organism with separated systems: the technical one, which articulates the existing and proposed functional spaces; and the public one, which guarantees a flow through the exhibition galleries to the visitors.
  Plus information en anglais : http://www.archdaily.com/51093/teatro-castro-alves-refurbishment-estudio-america/

• Apprendre la peinture chinoise (Cours en ligne)
  Chine Nouvelle, le portail de la langue et de la culture chinoise propose aux internautes un cours en ligne sur la peinture chinoise. Ce cours qui s'adresse prioritairement aux débutants comporte deux parties essentielles. Une première partie introductive ("Avant de commencer") présente les outils dont il faut se munir et de l'art de bien tenir un pinceau. Les textes qui y figurent sont empruntés au poète sinophile, Jean de la Pagode.
  Le pinceau se tient entre le pouce et l'index,
  Le majeur en action, contrôle la pression,
  L'annulaire à l'opposé sert de contre-balancier,
  L'auriculaire lui fournit, renfort et appui.
  Une pointe de pinceau franche,
  e xige une bonne prise de manche.
  Peins ou écris, comme il te plaît,
  mais de ton pinceau ne te sépare jamais.
  La seconde partie est composée de 19 unités correspondant à des modèles animaliers à reproduire. Entre autres, la coccinelle, l'abeille, le requin, le panda... Chaque unité est illustrée de façon à permettre à l'utilisateur de s'exécuter pas à pas. Une méthode simple et fascinante d'apprentissage. Le Livre premier de ce cours étant le seul mis en ligne à ce jour, on peut supposer que d'autres modèles (paysages, fleurs, bambou) annoncés seront disponibles prochainement. Ce cours s'adresse à tous, adolescents et adultes, qui souhaitent se familiariser avec des techniques de peinture qui fascinent le monde entier et font rayonner la culture chinoise.
  Plus information : http://www.chine-nouvelle.com/methode/peinture

• Gestion du tourisme culturel (en ligne)
  La gestion d'une organisation exige une approche qui lui est propre en raison de la particularité des produits ou des services qu'elle offre, des individus qui la mettent au monde et qui y travaillent et, finalement, des raisons qui amènent les clients à utiliser ses produits et services. Ce cours aborde les tensions et les paradoxes qui lient le tourisme et la culture. L'étude du tourisme culturel dans ce cours se fera également en tenant compte de l'offre et de la demande de produits culturels et touristiques et traitera des principaux acteurs concernés.
  Plus information : http://www.cursus.edu/?module=directory&action=getMod&subMod=PROD&uid=8064

26 février

• [english] River Banks as a Space for Civic Integration. 22-23 March 2010, Gdansk (Poland)
  can rivers make us more creative?
  can we bring our creativity back to the rivers?
  we believe we can
  Want your river to be an exciting, inspiring, and unique experience? Well, that’s not necessarily easy, but possible. You can change your river and let it change you.
  Rivers are often regarded as simply means of transport, or – at best – a space for water sports. But they are also powerful and symbolic icons for connecting people and ideas across regions and national borders. They are the land’s blood system that can both join and sometimes divide people. They are THE PLACE that may connect many important fields in the city: environment, architecture, city planning, transport, but also arts, culture, cultural tourism, and education. The River//Cities Platform is a partnership between cultural, environmental and political initiatives which work in their cities to interact with and develop their rivers or waterfronts as cultural spaces. Vienna (Austria), Rijeka (Croatia), Berlin (Germany), Budapest (Hungary), Dublin (Ireland), Venice (Italy), Skopje (Macedonia), Gdansk and Warsaw (Poland), Lisbon (Portugal), Stockholm (Sweden), London (United Kingdom).
  Plus information en anglais : http://www.river-cities.net/news.php

• [english] High-level discussions on decentralization policies (Uganda)
  The seminar on “Decentralization: overcoming challenges, achieving success” organized by IIEP, 10-12 February 2010 in Uganda, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sports, was a very fruitful event. The seminar focused on the roles of and challenges faced by District Education Offices (DEO) in a context of decentralization, based on the results of research carried out by IIEP and its partners in 2009 in Kenya, Lesotho and Uganda. Discussions took place on key issues:
  • quality monitoring,
  • financial and staff management at DEO level, and
  • relationships with central and district authorities.

  All participants agreed on a set of resolutions and policy suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the DEO in a context of decentralization. The main conclusion was that for decentralization to be successfully implemented, the DEOs need to become more pro-active and think more strategically. Their autonomy in certain decisions, related for instance to the use of funds or staff development, may need to be strengthened and their involvement in local and national policymaking must be promoted.
  Plus information en anglais : http://www.iiep.unesco.org/news/single-view/hash/e14a7ab06f.html?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=246&tx_ttnews[backPid]=262

23 février

• Lancement de l’Année internationale du rapprochement des cultures à l’UNESCO, Paris (France)
  La Directrice générale de l’UNESCO, Irina Bokova, a lancé l’Année internationale du rapprochement des cultures en mettant en place un Panel de haut niveau sur la paix et le dialogue entre les cultures : « Cette journée marque le début d’un voyage intellectuel au cours duquel nous allons réfléchir sur les moyens de tracer de nouvelles perspectives pour la paix au XXIe siècle », a-t-elle déclaré. Réuni pour la première fois ce matin à Paris, ce Panel international est composé de personnalités éminentes du monde politique, intellectuel et religieux*. Ses membres ont été invités à réfléchir et repenser notre manière d’édifier une paix fondée sur la justice, le respect des droits de l’homme, l’égalité des genres et la solidarité dans le contexte de la mondialisation et de ses défis – le changement climatique, la gestion des ressources et ses enjeux éthiques et économiques – défis auxquels il nous faut répondre, tout en utilisant la force de l’impact du dialogue.
  Plus information : http://www.unesco.org/new/fr/media-services/single-view/news/2010_international_year_for_the_rapprochement_of_cultures_
  launched_at_unesco_exchange_and_dialo/back/18256/

• [english] Sci-Park Maribor / SADAR + VUGA - Maribor (Slovenia)
  Designed by SADAR + VUGA, the Sci-Park Maribor scientific park is founded by the University of Maribor and is to occupy a section of a degraded former industrial area of Tezno at the south fringe of the city. Six individual buildings with a combined 30.000 m2 total floor area will be constructed on a 80.000 m2 site in several phases. These buildings, together with a shared parking garage, form ‘garden islands’ that accommodate irregular shapes of the site’s border; the way these islands are arranged on the site creates different ambients of open urban areas among them.
  Plus information en anglais : http://www.archdaily.com/50258/sci-park-maribor-sadar-vuga/

• (en italien) I nuovi orientamenti del turismo culturale alla Borsa Internazionale del Turismo
  Il turismo torna ad essere protagonista con l’apertura della Borsa Internazionale del Turismo (BIT), una delle più importanti manifestazioni del settore, che ogni anno offre un’ampia panoramica del mondo dei viaggi e delle vacanze. Una delle novità di questa trentesima edizione, che si tiene dal 18 al 21 febbraio presso gli spazi della Fiera di Milano, è la partecipazione del Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali, che ha accettato l’invito del Ministero del Turismo con cui condivide lo stand istituzionale e gli incontri congressuali.
  Plus information : http://www.tafter.it/2010/02/17/i-nuovi-orientamenti-del-turismo-culturale-alla-borsa-internazionale-del-turismo/

Online Publication: The Unfinished Story of Women & the United Nations
By Hilkka Pietilä
Published in January 2007 by UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS)
This book covers more than eighty-five years of history between women and inter-governmental organizations. Unrecorded by history and untold by the media, this book recalls the success story of women and the League of Nations and describes the unfolding history of women at the United Nations for the advancement and empowerment of women, especially in the 30 years since the First UN World Conference on Women in Mexico City in 1975, and up to the ten-year review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action in 2005…

This book tells the story of how the United Nations has become a womenfriendly global institution in spite of being a forum of governments, the great majority of which until lately has reflected primarily the visions and aspirations of men. Through the strenuous and skilful diplomacy and struggles of women over the decades, women’s aspirations and visions have been brought to the forefront of the international agenda and have resulted in declarations, covenants and programmes for the advancement and empowerment of women, which go beyond existing legislation and policies in most of the UN Member States.
http://www.un-ngls.org/orf/pdf/UnfinishedStory.pdf