They are calling on Ministers to help set it up. And as a first move, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation announced today that it will lead other public broadcasters in a project to build an international network of cultural web sites. These ideas are inspired, creative and practical. Tomorrow, Culture Ministers will let their hair down and have an open discussion about integrating culture into development considerations, international relations and trade negotiations. Canada is pleased that we were able to pick up the ball and run with it.
Politicians sometimes like to make grand pronouncements about the importance of meetings.
I don't want to oversell global actions that will flow from this first informal meeting of Culture Ministers. But what we hope to accomplish, quite simply, is the beginning of partnership among like-minded countries. To advocate on the world stage for our like-minded views. It is no simple matter to find the means enabling every society to produce and disseminate cultural content. As we all know, nothing worthwhile, nothing lasting, nothing truly noble comes easily.