UNCTAD participated at the "Forum on Cultural Industries (Macao) 2015" from 17-20 May, under the theme of "region synergy and platform innovation" to discuss strategies for culture and technology innovation, international competitiveness of cultural industries, regional development and cultural creativity.
The forum allowed the exchange of experiences and ideas for the development of the sector in Macao, China and the creation of synergies with the Pearl River Delta region.
UNCTAD highlighted the international trends of trade in creative goods and services and shared a framework for successful strategies to promote the creative industries with some examples of countries like Turkey in promoting its TV series.
Similarly, experts from China (Beijing and Shanghai), Taiwan Province of China, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (London), Spain (Barcelona), the Republic of Korea (Seoul) and Macao, China, shared their research and experiences linked to innovation, tourism and technology driving the creative economy.
Macao, China set up the Department for the Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries within the Cultural Affairs Bureau which has prepared The Policy Structure in Cultural Industries document to lead the direction in promoting, developing human capacity and funding of the sector.
A rich cultural heritage (Portuguese and Chinese), increasing tourism, its Freeport status, and strategic location close to the Pearl River Delta, a leading economic region in China, are attributes that can help stimulate the development of the sector in the city of Macao and the Pearl River Delta region.
As a first measure, UNCTAD will be collaborating with the Statistics and Census Service in Macao, China, to support them in building up the information related to the trade of creative goods and services according to UNCTAD database on creative industries, to identify major export destinations, trade balance and market opportunities.
The event was organized by the Chinese Cultural Exchange Association, Institute of Cultural Industries of Peking University with the support of the Committee of Cultural Industries of Macao (China) and Cultural Affairs Bureau of Macao, China and Macao Foundation.
Visits were organized to the Macau 10 Fantasia: A Creative Industries incubator, The Albergue of Macau Holy House of Mercy and Macao Fashion Gallery.
