I was aghast but not surprised at the treatment of interviewees on Channel 4 News and Newsnight last month during the coverage of the Copenhagen Climate Change talks.
The group of African countries dared to walk out of the summit revealing the them-and-us nature of the talks – on the one side were the developing countries and on the other the so-called developed world.
On first glance it was heartening that mainstream news programmes were allowing these generally unheard voices to come through. But all too quickly, on both news programmes, the African voice was cut short because it didn’t fit the agenda.
Here was a chance to allow often silenced voices a platform – to hear an alternative and, what should have been seen as, equal view.
The voices were cut just at the point they were explaining the unequal treatment of the “poorer” countries by the more powerful.
What will it take for those in control to show some humility and step aside to herald in a more equitable era?
When the Heritage Diversity Task Force’s report, Embedding Shared Heritage was published at the end of last year it brought an end to the London Mayor’s Commission on African and Asian Heritage. The report makes recommendations to improve equality and diversity in the UK heritage sector.
One of the major recommendations is the diversification of the workforce in order to broaden the sector’s thinking and practices. I am not against this and I am happy that, on paper at least, there are so many organisations that have signed up to this and have already shown commitment and action.
Of course the Museums Association with the museum studies department at the University of Leicester has led the way with the Diversify programme which is now in its 11th year.
When the evaluation is undertaken it will be important to hear directly from those who completed the Masters, placements and training and find out where they are and how things have really changed for them. Has the sector found the ability to be open enough to welcome the needed change that we talk about?
