welcome news?

for creative industries
not individuals

By Kulamarva Balakrishna

Vienna,Wednesday,January 16,2008:Here is a
wind fall.Welcome news for the creative,visual
artists, singers and dancers, and performers who
are more than mere entertainers.It comes from
Geneva from the United Nations Conference for
Trade and Development ( UNCTAD).But but but
hold on.According to its assessment, last year,
the creative industries not creative individuals
have emerged as one of the most dynamic
economic sectors, offering vast opportunities
for cultural, social and economic development
world wide.This included opportunities for Indian
girls in imported abayas from Saudi Arabia
selling through internet naked photos of young
girls from eastern Europe impoverished under the
former Soviet Union! The Indian female pimp is
not the one destined to be wealthy.Her perhaps
multination employers are.International trade in
in such creative goods as line naked skins included
and services(!) surged to 445.2 billion dollars in 2005
from 234.8 billion in 1996.It was =unprecedented=
rate of 8.7% a year from 2000-2005 .

This also reflects the economic and cultural breadth
of the creative industries, which included cultural
heritage,say Khajuraho, Konarak,Puri arts,the media,
which sells even cow urine as therapautical medicine,
creative services dressing, fashion and design. Linking
business, culture and technology,the innovative economy
with potential for developing countries for employing
numbers in the name of creative resources.
Globalisation and connectivity are benefiting the creative
industries of developing and developed countries.
Creative products like the dangerous toys from China,
India's bollywood or Mumbaiwood movies including
Shilpa Shetty´s kisses and software, Mexico's TV
stations and the Republic of Korea's digital toys
are among prominent examples of success.

But many developing countries are not yet able to
harness their creative capacities for development,
because of external and internal constraints.
What are these are themes of discussion at a two-
day meeting of the UNCTAD High-Level Panel on
the Creative Economy and Industries for Development
now in Geneva.Participants are politicians Sampson
Kwaku Boafo,(Minister) of Ghana;Olivia Grange,
( Minister) of Jamaica;Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong,(Minister)
of Nigeria; and Yavor Milushev, (Vice-Minister)
Culture of Bulgaria. Also rans include official =experts=
also include experts and select members of the
artistic community.They will see two Nigerian films!

The panel's work is to help governments prepare
their next conference no XII, the once in four
years ministerial meeting.That will take place
in Accra, Ghana for five days from April 20,2008.
There it is intended to launch a Creative Africa
initiative.These will include an exhibit of contemporary
art, fashion shows by Anggy Haif and Alphadi,
concerts by Femi Kuti and Youssou N'Dour and
African dance.

The concept of the creative economy is still evolving,
that =creative assets= (the phrase reminds Pakistani
=strategic assets=can generate economic growth,
job creation and export earnings promoting social
inclusion, cultural diversity and human development.
The past ministerial meeting at Sao Paolo Brazil
in 2004 called for help for developing countries "foster,
protect and promote their creative industries." But
information available on record is incomplete.
The definition of creative industries covers from
traditional folk art,cottage industries,cultural festivities,
books,paintings, music and performing arts.

African share,accounted for less than 1% of world
trade in creative products in 2000-2005.Italy was
the top exporter of creative goods among
developed countries, reflecting its competitive
position in the field of design. In most developed
countries, the creative economy is leading economic
growth, employment and trade. In Europe, a recent
study prepared for the European Commission
shows that the creative economy is expanding12%
faster than the overall economy and accounted for
4.7 million jobs in 2004. So-called creative cities
are proliferating, particularly in Europe and North
America, revitalizing socio-economic growth and
generating employment in urban post-industrial
areas. (end)