Mondiacult 2022

MONDIACULT 2022

The Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in International Relations, Prof. von Schorlemer, participated in the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development MONDIACULT,  2022, (28-30 September 2022, Mexico City) as a member of the German Delegation.

In advance, DUK organised an online public discussion, with the German Representative to UNESCO,ambassador Dr. Peter Reuss, and former Member of the European Parliament, Dr. Helga Trüpel. On that occasion Prof. Schorlemer urged to put culture as a common public good at the core of the post-2030 Agenda era and make it a “Goal” in its own right. Specifically, she recommended to include youth as well as indigenous peoples in the negotiating process. Moreover, Schorlemer suggested that nongovernmental organisations in the field of culture elaborate “shadow reports” in parallel to state reports (as this is the case in the United Nations´ field of human rights).

In Mexico City, 18 thematic session and 14 side events gave manifold insights in different facets of the new global commitment forged to shape culture as a global public good. Being a global platform, MONDIACULT emphasized the power of culture, eg. for resilience and social justice, and highlighted, among others, the need of people-centered approaches and inclusiveness. 

Importantly, the Final Declaration of MONDIACULT 2022 condemned “actions that target culture in the context of armed conflicts and the use of cultural properties or its surroundings for military purposes” and called for “the protection of cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, as well as cultural expressions, notably in times of crisis” (para 14). 

The Final Declaration adopted at MONDIACULT 2022 is certainly a promising way to fully harness the transformative power of culture for sustainable development in the 21^st century. Still, the multilateral process that has been initiated now, needs further concretization in a timely manner. For that purpose, the Director-General of UNESCO is requested to develop a plan with concrete actions and timeframe to implement the Declaration.