The National Arts Plan, the UNESCO Chair in Arts and Culture Management, Cities and Creativity at the Polytechnic of Leiria and LiDA co-organised the event, in partnership with Leiria City Council, DGeste, A23 and the World Alliance for Arts Education, LEARNING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE – CULTURAL AND ARTS EDUCATION TOWARDS CULTURAL DEMOCRACY, a parallel event to the World Conference on Cultural and Arts Education organised by UNESCO, which took place from 13 to 15 February 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The World Conference brought together ministers of culture and education from around the world with a view to adopting a Framework for Cultural and Arts Education, and also brought together relevant United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organisations, networks and UNESCO partners in the field of culture and education to share innovative practices and ideas, as well as to strengthen a global alliance for Cultural and Arts Education. The reference framework adopted is a fundamental tool for member states to define integrated strategies and policies that anchor the cultural dimension in education systems.

LEARNING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE – CULTURAL AND ARTS EDUCATION TOWARDS CULTURAL DEMOCRACY was held in a hybrid format on two occasions: the first at the Leiria Museum, in person and via streaming, on 7 February, and then presented on stage at the UNESCO Conference in Abu Dhabi on 15 February.

The purpose of LEARNING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE was to disseminate the process of involving and consulting young people – Mandar a quem manda – for the drafting of an Addendum to the Porto Santo Charter. The Porto Santo Charter argues that culture and education play a fundamental role in strengthening democracies, promoting active citizenship and defending human rights; recognises the essential role of young people as active agents; and calls for their collaboration with education and culture professionals. In this ongoing process, young people’s perspectives and recommendations, particularly in the areas of education and culture and with regard to cultural rights and cultural democracy, will be central to the design of global policies aimed at promoting just, inclusive, peaceful and sustainable societies.

LEARNING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE proposed sharing knowledge and demonstrating concrete experiences of how to put this intergenerational collaboration into practice, presenting two proposals:

1. implementing and reporting on the “Tell Those in Charge” youth consultation method by its creators and participants
2. Claim booklets: a manifesto and exhibition on cultural rights made by students in a classroom environment

Participants:

Anabela Graça, Councillor at Leiria City Council

António Pinto, Young musician and artist

Carlota Quintão, Sociologist, researcher and member of the Institute of Sociology at the University of Porto and leader of the A3S Association

Cecília Correia, Teacher and coordinator of the National Arts Plan for the Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro School Group in Caldas da Rainha

João Amaral, 3rd year student on the Cultural Programming and Production degree programme at ESAD.CR-IPLeiria

Lígia Afonso, Lecturer at ESAD.CR-IPL, Technical Scientific Coordinator of the UNESCO Chair in Arts and Culture Management, Cities and Creativity at IPLeiria, Researcher at LiDA-ESAD.CR and IHA NOVA

Margarida Monteiro, 11th grade student at Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro School, Caldas da Rainha

Rui Matoso, Researcher in cultural policies, lecturer at ESAD.CR-IPLeiria and cultural producer

Sara Brighenti, Deputy Commissioner of the National Plan for the Arts

Vânia Carvalho, Coordinator of the Leiria Museum, the Lagar Velho Shelter Interpretation Centre and the Leiria Intercultural Dialogue Centre