Expectations for culture to be recognised as a standalone UN Sustainable Development Goal are growing at the UNESCO MONDIACULT 2025 conference. Over 100 culture ministers and 1,200 CCS stakeholders, academics, and professionals will meet in Barcelona, Spain from 29 September to 1 October to set the global cultural agenda.
By Eirini Polydorou
CCS’ expectations rise ahead of the upcoming UNESCO’s MONDIACULT 2025, the world's highest cultural policy conference.
The Culture ministers from 100 countries participating may indeed seize the opportunity “to build a consensus and momentum to establish culture as a ‘stand-alone’ goal within the next United Nations development strategy”, before the conclusion of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Their outcome document -to be presented on the 1st of October- is expected to “reaffirm culture as a global public good, establishing a rights-based, inclusive sustainable development”, echoing the ideas of the MONDIACULT2022 declaration and setting the path for culture’s explicit integration into the post-2030 global agenda.
UNESCO’s Global Report on Cultural Policies, focusing on “the missing SDG”, is announced to become a "milestone for cultural policies" at MONDIACULT 2025.
The landmark report is about to be launched in a side event, in the presence of Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport.
Commissioner Micallef will also be hosting the Commission’s side event “Elevating Culture, Enhancing Well-being” and present the report: “Culture and Health: The Time to Act is Now”.
The ministers' outcome comes as a result of a broad consultation process on matters representing key global challenges. The conference’s two focus areas and six themes may be referred to in the text as such, following the activities programmed for MONDIACULT 2025.
Culture for Peace and Culture and Artificial Intelligence are the two focus areas for 2025. UNESCO’s “Culture, AI and Peace: Independent Expert Group Reports” is about to be launched in a side event, addressing both focus areas, among other initiatives.
This year’s edition also aims at building on the six priorities set in the historic MONDIACULT 2022 declaration: Cultural Rights, Digital Technologies in the Culture Sector, Culture and Education, Economy for Culture, Culture and Climate Action, Culture Heritage and Crisis.
The conference will include as well the launching of “Promoting culture-based climate solutions ahead of COP30”, the upcoming the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, to be held in Belém, Pará, from November 10 to 21, 2025.
The world’s first Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects will be launched at a global scale at MONDIACULT 2025, on Monday 29 September.
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Image - Courtesy of UNESCO MONDIACULT 2025.
