UNESCO adopts Canada's cultural protection convention; U.S. opposes

By Susan Tolusso

OTTAWA - Major backers of an international convention on cultural protection are delighted it was adopted by the U.N.’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) last Thursday in Paris, but they say the battle to bring it into effect has just begun. It was widely predicted the “convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions” - its official title - would have the United States as its sole opponent. In the end, 148 nations voted in favour, four abstained and two, the U.S. and Israel, were opposed. The loud American resistance has been incessant in the...