Embassy of the United States of America

Education Minister Leonardo Guzman and Chairman Adair Margo. [U.S. Embassy photo by Vince Alongi]

The Uruguayan Minister of Education and Culture, Dr. Leonardo Guzman, and the Chairman of the U.S. President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Adair Margo, signed an agreement today to affirm their shared commitment to bi-national cultural cooperation.

According to the document, both governments recognize that a nation’s cultural life contributes to the vibrancy of its society, the dynamism of its economy, and the strength of its democracy.

The agreement seeks to expand the access to cultural markets to a larger number and variety of artists in both countries, and to involve a wider range of regions, cities, institutions, and individuals, in bi-national cultural exchange.

Through the agreement, both countries are committed to have the rich, diverse, and creative aspects of their cultural expression and heritage reach wider audiences, and to collaborate in the vital task of cultural preservation.

Wider access to culture and knowledge for all segments of the population is a mutual concern. To this end, the agreement aims at promoting the exchange of art exhibits, artists' tours, co-production and distribution of films and other cultural forms, the importance of libraries, arts and humanities education in schools and cultural centers, and promoting wider support for the teaching of English and Spanish as second languages.

Ambassador Silverstein, Education Minister Leonardo Guzman and Chairman Adair Margo. [U.S. Embassy photo by Vince Alongi]

U.S. Ambassador Martin J. Silverstein, attended the signing of the document.

TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT:

JOINT COMMUNIQUE ON CULTURAL COOPERATION
Montevideo, Uruguay
September 29, 2004

The Honorable Adair Margo, Chairman of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities of the United States of America and the Honorable Dr. Leonardo Guzmán, Minister of Education and Culture of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay have met on this day in Montevideo, Uruguay, to affirm their shared commitment to bi-national cultural cooperation.

The governments of the United States and Uruguay recognize that a nation's cultural life contributes to the vibrancy of its society, the dynamism of its economy and the strength of its democracy.

We agree on the importance of encouraging communities to identify and preserve their local culture, history and traditions. We recognize that the arts and humanities depend on partnerships between and among government agencies, private foundations, corporations, non-profit organizations and individual benefactors to nurture talent and bring the creative achievements of our best artists, artisans, and humanities scholars to as wide an audience as possible.

We affirm that the arts and humanities are more essential than ever to increasing mutual understanding between our peoples and to fostering a greater appreciation for the richness and diversity of our cultures. We therefore dedicate ourselves to the following goals:

Expanding Artistic Opportunity and Diversity

We seek to expand access for a greater number and variety of artists in both countries to the cultural marketplace. We aim to involve a wider range of regions, cities, institutions and individuals in bi-national cultural exchange.

Highlighting Our Cultural Heritage and Promoting Cultural Preservation

We seek to expose wider audiences to the richness, diversity and creativity of cultural expression and heritage in both countries, and to collaborate in the vital task of cultural preservation.

Access to Culture and Knowledge

We agree on the importance of expanding access to culture and knowledge for all segments of our populations. In addition to the contributions to this goal by way of exchanges of exhibits, tours of performing artists, co-productions and wider distribution of films and other cultural forms, we note the importance of libraries, arts and humanities education in schools and cultural centers, and support for the teaching of English and Spanish as second languages.

Adair Margo / Dr. Leonardo Guzmán