Example White Paper #4

UNESCO

Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

Topic A: Corporatization of Music

James Smith

American High School

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste has a rich indigenous history stretching back thousands of years. Music has always been a large part of the Timorese people’s national identity, even playing a part in the Timorese independence movement from Indonesia. Because of Portuguese colonization and numerous violent occupations, much of indigenous Timorese culture and music has withered. Recent independence and reclamation movements have inspired many native groups throughout the country to revive their cultural traditions. These efforts have come with significant difficulty, as Timorese instruments and traditional songs have been largely lost over the past centuries. Furthermore, Timorese artists’ ability to produce music has been hampered significantly by the poverty that plagues the majority of the country. More than 45% of the island’s population lives in poverty, preventing access to resources necessary for preserving music within Timor-Leste. These challenges are not unique to Timorese artists, but are shared by artists throughout the world. The Aboriginal Australians, who have faced similar challenges to those faced by the Timorese, have lost 98% of their cultural music as a result. A key responsibility of this committee is to provide aid in preserving the cultural heritage of peoples throughout the world, along with providing opportunities for communities to share their unique culture. With Western influence increasing its stranglehold over music globally, preserving dying music is more important than ever.

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste believes that the implementation of aid programs within underdeveloped and colonized countries to support indigenous artists is paramount to preserving the cultural identity and heritage of music throughout the world. Through its passing of several initiatives to support the music of the indigenous Timorese, Timor-Leste has tried to strengthen the dying forms of music that belong to these communities. Because of Timor-Leste’s bleak economic situation and struggles to maintain its independence from militant neighboring nations, these programs have encountered significant challenges, made worse by a lack of funding and resources. Through direct action and funding by the UN, namely during Timor-Leste’s independence movement, initiatives to revive Timorese music have achieved significant progress. For this reason, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste strongly believes in the demonstrable positive impact that direct action and funding can have on underdeveloped countries. Not only has this effect been seen in music, but also in a country’s national cohesion and cultural identity as a whole. During Timor-Leste’s independence movements, the aid provided by the UN helped fuel a cultural revitalization within the country, encompassing the arts, traditional language, and cultural history. Because of Timor-Leste’s continuing contention with the historical legacies of colonialism, its launching of independence movements, and endeavors to revitalize indigenous culture, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is in a prime position to speak on how best to preserve music within countries facing similar challenges worldwide.

By being as pragmatic as possible, and working to produce effective resolutions, this committee must focus on the combination of direct financial aid, providing education and resources to empower artists, and providing incentives within the music industry to promote the work and talent of underrepresented cultural artists. To this end, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste believes resolutions should emphasize threefold frameworks: first, creating direct aid programs whereby UN-controlled funds can be appropriately allocated to bolster dying cultural music. Secondly, establishing access to education and resources for artists to aid in preserving and spreading their culture’s music. Lastly, providing artists with contacts within the music industry, and facilitating agreements between artists and industry giants to ensure fair treatment, compensation, and the preservation and conservation of dying forms of music. By focusing on these essential actions, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is confident that this committee can pass a resolution that not only safeguards the dwindling music of diverse cultures, but also ensures the protection of the artists themselves, securing the continuity of their invaluable musical traditions.