Date and time: November 19, 18:00
Venue: Spinelli Room 3G2, European Parliament, Brussels
Followed by a cocktail reception.
Co-organised by ECCD and MEP Emma Rafowicz, the special conference-debate marks two decades since the adoption of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions — a landmark international instrument ratified by 148 States the European Union. The Convention enshrines cultural diversity as an independent public good that cannot be reduced to a mere commodity.
The discussions will be opened by Glenn Micallef, Maltese Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport.
The first panel, “Creating, Producing and Distributing: How Can We Safeguard Cultural Diversity in the Age of Platforms?”, will examine the political, economic, and regulatory tools needed to promote diverse cultural voices and artistic expressions in today’s digital landscape. This debate will explore how we can adapt the Convention’s principles to the realities of the digital age, ensuring that the diversity of cultural expressions continues to flourish in an environment increasingly shaped by global online platforms.
Moderated by Carole Tongue, former MEP and Chair of ECCD, meet our panellists:
MEP Emma Rafowicz (S&D, France): 
Emma Rafowicz has always placed culture at the heart of her professional and political journey. In 2020, she became Deputy Mayor of Paris’s 11th arrondissement, responsible for culture, crafts, and heritage — a role she carried out with deep conviction that culture is central to emancipation, sharing, and the construction of a common European identity enriched by diversity. Having worked in the film industry, she is strongly committed to defending cultural diversity and audiovisual creation. In the European Parliament, she focuses on protecting creators and copyright in the face of market pressures and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. Her guiding principles are to defend the French cultural exception and to build a European cultural exception.
Chris Marcich, President of EFAD and CEO of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre: 
Chris Marcich serves as President of the European Film Agency Directors (EFAD) and CEO of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, where he leads efforts to support and promote Croatia’s film and audiovisual sectors. Previously, he served as President of the Motion Picture Association’s European office in Brussels from 1995 to 2016 and as President of the Board of AGICOA, the international collective rights management organisation representing producer rights. Earlier in his career, from 1985 to 1995, he held various policy and negotiation positions at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, including Assistant USTR for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Helen Smith, Executive Chair of IMPALA: 
Originally from Scotland and based in Brussels, Helen Smith leads IMPALA, the European association representing thousands of independent music companies. Together with its board, she drives the organisation’s strategies on political, commercial, and promotional fronts — empowering independent labels and artists to leverage their collective strength. Her work spans key areas such as artificial intelligence, copyright, streaming reform, competition, sustainability, diversity and inclusion. Under her leadership, IMPALA has launched numerous action plans and awards schemes to strengthen the independent music ecosystem across Europe.
Phaedon Gregorios Kidoniatis, representant of the Greek Publishers’ Association and Vice-Chair of the Federation of European Publishers: 
Since 1999, he has founded two publishing houses and seven academic journals, managing six imprints while engaging in a wide range of cultural initiatives, including theatre productions, exhibitions, and conferences. He has organised more than four hundred cultural and educational events. His academic background spans Business Administration, Philosophy, and European Studies at Middlesex University, the University of London, Birkbeck College, and the London School of Economics. In addition to his teaching and academic roles, he has worked as an economist, editor, and consultant for international organisations and served as a trainee at the European Commission in Brussels. His professional and civic work continues to reflect his deep commitment to cultural and intellectual diversity in Europe.