Cambodian Living Arts organized this flagship event as part of its work towards the vision of arts for transformation, in collaboration with Salzburg Global Seminar and with sponsorship by the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development. Cambodian Living Arts will shared its experience and opened the dialogue with global peers. Artists and leaders of arts organizations from post-conflict countries reflected upon and debated their on-the-ground experience and exchanged lessons learnt. The Forum explored and honored the work done in the past and hoped to inspire future generations of cultural changemakers.
Living Arts in Post-Conflict Contexts: Practices, Partnerships & Possibilities focused on “South – South” dialogue and helping to develop a new model of partnership among countries from the global South that encourages relationships that improve the position of the arts sector in post-conflict societies.
The arts play a defining role in the recovery and resilience of societies that have gone through the tragedy of war, genocide or armed conflict, and have an impact on peacebuilding, education, creative economies and tourism. Safeguarding the arts and the cultural values attached is fundamental to preserving heritage, giving a sense of purpose, managing conflict-induced trauma and emancipating minds. In the current world situation of increasingly frequent and detrimental conflict, the arts have the power to build hope and foster self-determination.