French ex-minister backs cultural investment

French ex-minister backs cultural investment 2012/10/22 20:50:01 Taipei, Oct 22 (CNA) Investment in the culture sector is important, and the worse the economy, the more investment in culture is needed, former French Culture Minister Jack Lang said Monday. Lang, who was invited to Taiwan by the Ministry of Culture, said at a press conference that he helped increase France's cultural budget during his terms as minister to send the message that "culture is an important investment." Lang held the position of culture minister between 1981 and 1986, and from 1988 to 1992. Under his tenure, the budget of the French Ministry of Culture in 1982 was doubled from the 1981 figure of NT$13 billion (US$444 million) and continued to increase over the years, reaching around NT$60 billion in 1993. Taiwan's Culture Minister Lung Ying-tai, who also attended the press conference, asked Lang for his opinions on what makes a favorable environment for investment in culture. In response, Lang said more resources should be allocated to the culture sector, even during an economic down cycle. He mentioned the 1983 Grand Louvre project as an example of the benefits of such investment. Lang said the project, which led to the creation of the famous glass pyramid outside the famed museum, helped boost visitor numbers from 2 million to 10 million and benefited France's tourism and economic development. He noted that the plan to renovate and expand the museum and remove the Ministry of Finance from the building drew great opposition at the time. Meanwhile, in response to a reporter's question on what measures Lang has launched to promote art education during his term as minister of national education from 2000-2002 and what Taiwan could learn from France, the former minister said it is important for the ministries of education and culture to work together. Lang said he launched a plan during his term to send French artists into schools, adding that it is important to allow all children, regardless of their economic conditions, access to cultural resources. EFTA01115096 The former minister, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time, touted Taiwan's democratic and free society and said a democratic environment is important for artists. Lang is known for creating the French music festival Fete de la Musique and the National Day of Monuments during his term as culture minister. He is also known for pushing the "Lang Law" in 1981, which sets a fixed price for books sold in France. Lang and Lung will speak at the flagship location of a local bookstore chain in Taipei Oct. 27 at an event titled "Vision and Practice: A Conversation between Two Culture Ministers." Lang arrived in Taiwan Oct. 21 on an eight-day visit. During his trip, he is also scheduled to visit other cultural centers in Taipei including the National Palace Museum, the Huashan 1914 Creative Park, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, the National Theater Hall and the National Concert Hall, as well as other cultural institutions around Taiwan. (By Christie Chen) ENDITEM/J r 法國人最鍾愛的文化部長」美銜的法國文化部前部長賈克朗( Jack Lang）A' F夭說， 多 　 展 EFTA01115097 201刀10/22 14:01 記者彭夢竺／台北報導 法國前文化部長賈克朗（地ck Lang）應文化部邀請來台訪問，今（22）日出席2012 國 龍應台還以最近文化部預算審核的事情詢問賈克朗，為何在1982、1993 年法國文化部 EFTA01115098 （中央社訊息服務20121023 09:35:07) 法國前文化部長賈克朗(Jack Lang)博上，應文化部「國際人文大師講座系列」邀訪，21 流 　 魄！」 電影產業　 EFTA01115099 10月27 日（週六）下午2時30 分，賈克朗與龍應台將蟻「願景與實踐」為題，於信巍誠 www.moc.gov.tw。 吳副總統上午在總統府接見法國前文化部長賈克朗(Jack Lang) ，他肯定賈克朗在兩 EFTA01115100 新唐人2012 年10 月23日訊】（中央社記者鄭景雯台北23日電）文化部今天晚間舉 流。 EFTA01115101