As an alliance of prominent international networks advocating for a stronger place of culture in sustainable development, we strongly welcome the initiative of the Government of Mexico and the decision of UNESCO to bring together, on 28-30 September 2022, Ministers responsible for culture and other key culture stakeholders from around the world for the MONDIACULT 2022 Conference.
We also welcome the aim of MONDIACULT 2022, namely, to provide a new impetus to the global policy dialogue on culture for sustainable development. There is a growing awareness of the role that culture can play in supporting development at all levels, as well as of the urgent need to promote new development models in the wake of COVID-19, the latest reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and continued threats to rights and freedoms. In the light of this, it is high time to take a strategic look both at cultural policy itself, and its place within broader development frameworks and climate change discussions.
MONDIACULT 2022 is a historical opportunity. It needs to be designed with ambition, in coherence with the long-term legacy left by the first conference in 1982. Outcomes must be concrete, bold and engaging. They need to contribute explicitly to the UN Secretary General’s report “Our Common Agenda”, and accelerate the shift to a world where culture is more central to our lives and decision-making.
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