Final Regional Conference
EUROMED AUDIOVISUAL II
10-11 November 2008
Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel - Cairo, Egypt
On 10-11 November 2008, the 15 million euro EU-funded Euromed Audiovisual Programme will hold its final regional conference at the Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel in Cairo before coming to an end in December 2008 after three years of activities.
The conference will be introduced by Carla Montesi, Head of the South Mediterranean/Near and Middle East Unit for the European Commission’s EuropeAid Cooperation Office and by H.E. Klaus Ebermann, Ambassador, Head of the European Commission’s Delegation to Egypt as well as by H.E. Farouk Hosny, the Egyptian Minister of Culture and by Ms. Zahia Abou Zaid Head of Department at the Minister of International Co-operation.
Some 150 participants will take part, including political figures, leading figures in the audiovisual sector from the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean, representatives of various national audiovisual authorities, beneficiaries of the Programme, project representatives, and the media.
The two-day Conference will provide a forum to discuss topics such as the increasing professionalization of the audiovisual sector and its development, distribution (particularly theatrical, TV and festivals) and audiences, and the Programme’s achievements in specific areas. There will be a special presentation of the tools established by the Programme, including the unique online legal database, and the surveys the Programme has conducted.
The problems posed by ailing regional markets to an emerging Mediterranean film industry will also been examined, as well as the impact of Euromed Audiovisual on the circulation of professionals, films and information.
The Conference will sum up all the experiences and Programme’s achievements of the last three years as well as examine prospects for the future, focusing on new public and private initiatives. With sustainability viewed today as a key marker of success, Euromed Audiovisual II - dedicated to the audiovisual industries of the 10 Mediterranean countries - can boast a number of long-lasting impacts in addition to the extensive exposure given to Mediterranean and European films, including: audiences of over 3 million people, support for 160 film releases in 24 European and Mediterranean countries and assistance for 50 films to go into production.
The various initiatives of its 12 projects spanning the entire film development, distribution, promotion and exhibition processes have laid solid foundations for durable partnerships and a vast network among emerging Mediterranean professionals (with 550 of them having benefited from training and development workshops) and between the latter and European audiovisual operators (with 83% declaring they have kept in contact with professionals met at 45 events).
The Programme has helped raise the awareness of national authorities responsible for the audiovisual sector with respect to priority issues (including film piracy) by holding 8 seminars dedicated to issues of topical and industry-wide interest. Additionally, in keeping with the belief that access to and exchange of knowledge are fundamental for growth in the sector, the Programme has established an innovative online legal database (www.euromedaudiovisuel.net) covering the laws of 9 countries in the Mediterranean region as they relate to audiovisual and cinematic works.
As Euromed Audiovisual II nears completion, attention will finally be drawn during the Conference to its invaluable contribution to the formulation of a strategy for future Euro-Mediterranean audiovisual cooperation. The “Recommendations for Action”, part of a paper produced by a Reflexion Group of European and Mediterranean professionals brought together by the Programme, have been endorsed at the level of Euro-Mediterranean Ministers of Culture and will be examined in detail before the Conference in Cairo comes to a close.
For further information, contact: Milojka Saule, saule@euromedaudiovisuel.net
