Please feel free to add your comments by participating in the online conference.

The reality. The conditions in which people are living.

1. "Minorities are oppressed."
   Many speakers spoke about discrimination and oppression. The first area was ethnical oppression in which minorities such as the Sami people and the Kurds in Turkey are oppressed because of their culture. The situation in Northern Ireland as well as in Israel/Palestine and Mexico (the role of the Zapatistas in Chiapas) was also mentioned by different speakers
   The situation for women was highlighted by Sjölander among others.
2. "How these groups are oppressed."
   Freedom of speech was mentioned by several speakers as one of the mayor means of oppression.
   Another side of this is when writers and people in general are not allowed to use their own native language, which is the case with the Kurds in Turkey. The case of the Same population in Sweden should also be mentioned.
   Limitation on travel. Cyprus and Palestine/Israel were mentioned as examples.
3. "Mechanism behind this oppression"
   Violence is being glorified. The media stress that violence is something normal and acceptable.

"How to reach a solution."

1. The process behind Agenda 21 has been seen a model that could be implemented here in the cultural area also. However, several speakers mentioned the fact that Agenda 21 has been difficult and therefore it would be complicated to do it in the cultural field.
   The other aspect is the paper from UNESCO, the status of the artist, which despite having been out for 20 years, nothing has happened.
   The conclusion from one speaker was that besides documents written by UNESCO and other, there is an acute need for practical solutions. Some constructive examples have been presented on this conference, amongst others the collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian actors in the play Romeo and Juliet.
2. "Now it depends on us"
   In order to achieve what we have put forward our own minds must be changed. Which values are important - for us as cultural workers, for the general public?
   The following was mentioned:
   • We must take responsibility for our actions.
   • We must learn how to solve conflicts. The Indian experience and the Irish experience.
3. "Which role can artists play in solving conflicts?"
   Very little has been mentioned so far about this theme. But as one person said:
   "Can we only choose between military marches and cries from the heart?"

We need to create networks, to bridge people from different cultures.

However, it remains to be seen how this should be done.

To be continued...