Monday, March 29, 2010

“House panel sees cultural merits of cockfighting - Honolulu Star-Bulletin” plus 3 more

“House panel sees cultural merits of cockfighting - Honolulu Star-Bulletin” plus 3 more

House panel sees cultural merits of cockfighting - Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 05:14 PM PDT

Illegal cockfighting in Hawaii would be recognized for its cultural merits under a resolution approved by a state House committee.

The House Tourism, Culture and International Affairs Committee passed the resolution on a 4-2 vote today, advancing it to the House Judiciary Committee.

The resolution doesn't have the force of law, and it wouldn't legalize cockfighting.

But cockfighting enthusiasts and farmers packed the committee room at the Hawaii Capitol to tell lawmakers about cockfighting's history and cultural importance in the islands.

Animal rights groups opposed the measure, calling cockfighting a cruel blood sport.

Cockfighting is a misdemeanor under state law, punishable by a maximum fine of $2,000 and one year in prison.

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Scottish Government publishes its 'India Plan' - New Kerala

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 11:02 AM PDT

New Delhi, Mar.29 : The Scottish Government has announced an 'India Plan' as part of a strategic intent for higher engagement with South Asia.

The plan was launched by the Scottish External Affairs Minister Fiona Hyslop.

Recognising the need for closely targeted activity to maximise the economic opportunities between Scotland and India, the India Plan focuses on four key areas - trade and investment, education and science, tourism and cultural links.

"The historical and enduring links between India and Scotland put us in a strong position to benefit from doing business with one of the world's fastest expanding economies. Links in education, business, tourism and culture are well-established and there are already strong collaborative relationships between Scottish and Indian organisations in these areas," said Hyslop.

"The value of the Plan is in bringing a strategic focus to Scotland's engagement with India, supporting the Scottish Government's Purpose of building sustainable economic growth. We have worked closely with the business community, further and higher education bodies, tourism and cultural bodies in compiling this Plan. It presents an opportunity to focus our collective efforts and maximise the mutual benefit for India and Scotland," she added.

"With the Commonwealth Games being held in Delhi this year, building on existing cultural links will be invaluable in securing a successful cultural programme to accompany the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and a lasting legacy for the people of Scotland," Hyslop said.

The Indian Consul General in Scotland, Anil Kumar Anand, said: "India greatly welcomes the initiative of the Scottish Government to evolve a strategic plan on greater engagement with India. Such a plan would provide the necessary framework to intensify and focus on selected areas of cooperation for mutual benefit and raise the profile and content of the relations between India and Scotland.

"It is excellent that the Plan is being launched this year when we look forward to Delhi hosting the Commonwealth Games in October. There will be closer engagement between the countries in the run up to the Games and as Delhi hands over to Glasgow for 2014," Anand added.

India has the world's twelfth largest economy, and is the fourth largest purchasing power after the US, China and Japan.

With around 10 Indian companies making a total investment of 700 million pounds in Scotland during the last five years, and employing close to 2,500 people, India is an important investor.

Scottish Development International recently strengthened its presence in India. It now has an office in Mumbai, as well as Delhi.

India is Scotland's second largest international market for further and higher students.

The Scottish Government's programme of engagement with South Asia consists of an India Plan; a funding stream for Scotland-based organisations undertaking development projects in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; a Pakistan Plan (in development); and a wider South Asia Plan (also in development).

--ANI

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Quebec passes law regarding Muslim veil - BusinessWeek

Posted: 25 Mar 2010 07:11 AM PDT

MONTREAL

The province of Quebec passed landmark legislation Wednesday that stipulates Muslim women will need to uncover their faces when dealing with Quebec government services.

The bill says people obtaining or delivering services at places such as health or auto insurance offices will need to do so with their faces in plain view. The law covers all garments ranging from the face veil to the burqa, a traditional head-to-toe veil worn by some Muslim women.

It says people's face-coverings will not be tolerated if they hinder communication or visual identification.

Premier Jean Charest told a news conference that the province was drawing a line in defense of gender equality and secular public institutions.

"This is a symbol of affirmation and respect -- first of all, for ourselves, and also for those to whom we open our arms," Charest told a news conference.

"This is not about making our home less welcoming, but about stressing the values that unite us. ... An accommodation cannot be granted unless it respects the principle of equality between men and women, and the religious neutrality of the state."

While the debate over cultural accommodation has raged in Europe for years, especially in France regarding the face veil, Canadian politicians have generally been reluctant to weigh in.

Quebec has been an exception to that rule.

The Charest government has faced persistent criticism in the legislature from opponents who say it must take a tougher stand against demands for cultural accommodation.

Newspapers have been full of stories about perceived religious excesses, and such discussions are a near-daily feature on some of the province's television talk shows.

However, one Muslim group argued Wednesday that Quebec politics was being consumed unnecessarily by debate over a microscopic number of cases.

The Muslim Council of Montreal said there may be only around 25 Muslims in Quebec who actually wear face-coverings.

Of the more than 118,000 visitors to the health board's Montreal office in 2008-09 only 10 people -- or less than 0.00009 percent of cases -- involved women who wear face veils.

There were no cases among the 28,000 visitors to the Quebec City service center over the same time period.

Salam Elmenyawi of the Muslim Council of Montreal questioned the need to legislate against such a small minority of the population.

"It is a knee-jerk reaction to the opposition and vote-grabbing more than anything else," he said, adding the law was unlikely to encourage integration of Muslim immigrants.


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Arts figures launch cultural manifesto to uphold spending - Daily Telegraph

Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:14 AM PDT

Published: 10:54AM GMT 25 Mar 2010

The document, entitled: Cultural Capital: A Manifesto for the Future, claims it is essential that the UK's cultural institutions continue to benefit from public investment, particularly at a time when the eyes of the world prepare to focus on the London 2012 Olympics.

Cutting state funding would make poor economic sense and risk denting Britain's ''social and economic recovery'' from recession, the manifesto warns.

Among the other well-known faces attending the event at the British Museum were musicians Brian Eno and Julian Lloyd Webber, plus dancers from the English National Ballet and Sadler's Wells.

Campaign placards declaring ''You can bank on culture'', designed by UK artists including Damien Hirst, Anish Kapoor and Tracey Emin, were waved as the group posed for photographers on the steps inside the British Museum's exhibition space.

Mr Perry said: ''I do believe there is time for a debate when politicians start releasing not just the economic benefits of culture... but that cultural institutions can lead the debate. There are other ways of measuring the success of a country.

''Post-recession, perhaps now is the time to start putting values and specifics on non-economic ways of valuing what is a good society. For too long we've all been in thrall to 'the more pairs of shoes I have the happier I am', and perhaps we should be looking at more intangible values such as education and cultural fulfilment as opposed to just being able to have a second car.''

In its introduction, the argument is made that arts spending can revive the British economy.

The document says: ''As the economy begins to move again, the cultural sector is ready to contribute to the up-turn. We are ready to give our ideas and energy to help with the restructuring that will be needed as the country renews itself.

''The arts and heritage are on hand to help those who lost out in the recession: with jobs, training, skills, experience, hope. Our creative confidence offers a basis for renewal.''

The manifesto argues that a 15-year period of investment has created a public appetite for culture, adding: ''This manifesto is about the future. It is about building on more than a decade of success that has made the cultural assets represented by our museums, galleries, historic places, libraries and archives, orchestras, theatres, dancers, artists and writers, productive as never before.''

Ms Chadha said: "Film is a massive part of the British economy. It is absolutely critical for the well-being of the film industry that Government, in all its shapes and sizes, acknowledges the massive contribution, not only to culture here but globally."

The rationale behind the manifesto was explained to attendees and waiting media by a five-strong panel of representatives from Britain's largest arts institutions, comprising Nicholas Hytner, director of the National Theatre, Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum, Jude Kelly, artistic director of the Southbank Centre, Nicholas Serota, director of the Tate, and Alan Davey, chief executive of Arts Council England.

Mr MacGregor said: "Culture gives us our place in the world, it reminds us of what we are, it makes us aware of what we could be."

He added: "All Governments in the future are going to be thinking of course about making economies... we want to remind them that culture works. This is the bit of public life that is extraordinarily efficient and extraordinarily effective."

Mr Hytner said: "After 15 years of sustained public and lottery investment we are in a really good place. Public investment has meant new places for vastly increased numbers of people to come and see new work and new talent."

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