PURPOSE: The World Day for cultural Diversity for Peace and Development observed on 21 May, provides us with an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to advance the four goals of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions adopted on 20 October 2005. The objective of the day is to Support sustainable systems of governance for culture, to achieve a balanced flow of cultural goods and services and increase mobility of artists and cultural professionals, to Integrate culture in sustainable development frameworks, to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.
FORUM: "Preserving Cultural Diversity is preserving what makes us human.'' World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 2024. Culture is who we are and what shapes our identity. No development can be sustainable without including culture. The day is an occasion to promote culture and highlight the significance of its diversity as an agent of inclusion and positive change. It represents an opportunity to celebrate culture’s manifold forms, from the tangible and intangible, to creative industries, to the diversity of cultural expressions, and to reflect on how these contribute to dialogue, mutual understanding, and the social, environmental and economic vectors of sustainable development. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #OneHumanity, #WorldDayforculturalDiversity, #21May, #CulturalHeritage,#culturalheritage, #culturalsites. .
EVENTS: On May 21st, the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Peace and Development 2024 will be held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. All are invited to join in, and promote the values of cultural diversity, dialogue and development across our globe. The UNESCO is launched the fifteenth International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD).Through an open and competitive process, projects will be selected based on their ability to generate concrete and lasting results towards the development of the creative sectors in developing countries that are Parties to the 2005 Convention. Project proposals should contribute to:
The implementation and/or elaboration of policies and measures that have a direct, structural impact on the creation, production, distribution and access to a diversity of cultural goods and services;
The strengthening of capacities in public institutions and civil society organizations to support viable local and regional cultural industries and markets.
Since 2010, the IFCD has invested more than US$ 11.5 million through 152 projects in 71 developing countries. These diverse initiatives have contributed to the development and implementation of cultural policies, the strengthening of professional training and cultural entrepreneurship, supported access to new markets, and the participation and inclusion of vulnerable groups in cultural life. Through the IFCD's 2024 call for applications, UNESCO renews its commitment to strengthening the cultural and creative industries in developing countries, as fundamental pillars for protecting and promoting cultural diversity, encouraging creativity and innovation, and for building a more sustainable world. The IFCD is a key instrument of international cooperation and assistance for the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005). Public institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from eligible countries are invited to submit their proposals, as well as international NGOs registered in countries that are Parties to the 2005 Convention. The fifteenth call for applications opens on 15 April 2024 and closes on 14 June 2024, noon Paris time. For any inquiries, please contact the Secretariat of the 2005 Convention (convention2005.ifcd@unesco.org). Learn more about IFCD funded projects.
EXHIBITS: An exposition will be open for the public at UNESCO Headquarters.
PODCASTS: Investing in creativity and Transforming societies. Listen to the audio-audio-podcast!
Campaign Materials: Promote Cultural Diversity for Peace and Development. Get the campaign materials!
Intercultural Dialogue
Equitable exchange and dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based on mutual understanding and respect and the equal dignity of all cultures is the essential prerequisite for constructing social cohesion, reconciliation among peoples and peace among nations.
This action is part of the global framework of an Alliance of Civilizations launched by the United Nations. More specifically, within the larger framework of intercultural dialogue, which also encompasses interreligious dialogue, special focus is placed on a series of good practices to encourage cultural pluralism at the local, regional and national level as well as regional and sub-regional initiatives aimed at discouraging all expressions of extremism and fanaticism and highlighting values and principles that bring people together.
Interreligious Dialogue
UNESCO’s Interreligious Dialogue programme, an essential component of Intercultural Dialogue, aims to promote dialogue among different religions, spiritual and humanistic traditions in a world where conflicts are increasingly associated with religious belonging.
It stresses the reciprocal interactions and influences between, on the one hand, religions, spiritual and humanistic traditions, and on the other, the need to promote understanding between them in order to challenge ignorance and prejudices and foster mutual respect. Learning the art of dialogue is both a personal and social process. Developing one’s skills and capacity for dialogue implies a willingness to be open while retaining one’s critical judgment. Dialogue concerns us all: from decision-makers and leaders to individuals within each community. Alongside relevant international conferences to raise awareness, UNESCO strives to promote grass-root activities, particularly in sensitive geo-strategical areas that reach target-populations such as women, youth and marginalized populations.
Culture and sustainable development
Placing culture at the heart of development policy constitutes an essential investment in the world's future and a pre-condition to successful globalization processes that take into account the principles of cultural diversity.
Development is inseparable from culture. In this regard, the major challenge is to convince political decision-makers and local, national and international social actors to integrating the principles of cultural diversity and the values of cultural pluralism into all public policies, mechanisms and practices, particularly through public/private partnerships. The aim is, on the one hand, to incorporate culture into all development policies, be they related to education, science, communication, health, environment or cultural tourism and, on the other hand, to support the development of the cultural sector through creative industries. By contributing in this way to poverty alleviation, culture offers important benefits in terms of social cohesion.