Volume 2 / Athens 2000 "2nd Conference on the Euro-Mediterranean Audiovisual and Cinematographic Heritage" Athens, 27-29 September 1999 by Christine Paidoussi The Hellenic Audiovisual Institute (I.O.M.), the research organization on the audiovisual field under the Supervision of the Ministry of Press and Mass Media, in cooperation with the pan-European Audiovisual Organization EUREKA (34 member states, Council of Europe, European Commission), organized in Athens, in September 27-29/1999 the "2nd Conference on the Euro-Mediterranean Audiovisual and Cinematographic Heritage." The Conference assembled 200 experts originating from 35 countries. This 2nd Conference, a follow u to the 1st meeting in Sitges (Spain, 10-14/10/1997) explored questions related to the organization of the audiovisual and cinematographic archive market in the Euromediterranean area, as well as the technical, legal and ethical aspects linked to the usage of these archives. Two workshops titled "Archives and Market" and "Production and Market" were devoted to discussion among the experts. In paraIIel, an event "Screening" was the occasion to "detect" 150 audiovisual and cinematographic oeuvres, from aII over Europe and the Mediterranean area, on the topic "Migrations in the 20th Century in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin". The aim of the "Screening" was to Iead audiovisual professionals to discover and rediscover a part of the Euro-Mediterranean image heritage which is stiII little explored and which could provide us with the keys to analyze and understand our changing world and which could perhaps even become a source of inspiration for new creations. Presentations covered a broad range of cases which have brought to light a certain number of findings and needs. The interest, for example, of possessing a legal framework which would offer rights' holders and users the necessary guarantees in order to use archives confidently. As a consequence, the participants suggested examining in more depth the way towards making agreements between archive holders and copyright and related rights management companies. Moreover, the participants from Central and Eastern Europe and from the Mediterranean Partnership expressed the wish to benefit from legal expertise in order to help them implement the adequate legal structure. Concerning the production based on archive material, an incentive mechanism contributing to the lessening of the cost in worldwide rights clearing was proposed. Over and above the concerns Iinked to the market, the participants identified a few possible paths towards improving the accessibility to archive funds under two principle areas: human resources adapted to market evolution and technical means linked to new technologies in the fields of information and communications. The participants from the European Union showed a strong interest in creating an archive market, which wiII encompass at the same time the Central and Eastern Countries and the Mediterranean Partnership. This interest implies the simultaneous implementation of the new technologies, following appropriate procedures, in the framework of a global and coherent strategy. It was also proposed to establish an on-line Euro-Mediterranean catalogue of audiovisual and cinematographic archives covering historical and transversal themes of the 20th century: 1st and 2nd World Wars, end of the colonial period, Middle East and Balkans crises and the faII of the Berlin waII. FinaIIy, the Minister of Press and Mass Media of Greece announced the creation of the Central Informational System for the National Archives, scientificaIIy supported and coordinated by the HeIIenic Audiovisual Institute. The aim of this project is to "record" and promote the information about the audiovisual heritage in Greece and to facilitate the access of different categories of users (researchers, creators, professionnals) to this loci of memory. Return to Top