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UNESCO and Republic of Korea upskill youth through a creativity lab
UNESCO and the Republic of Korea continue their collaborationinthe 鈥Digital Creativity Lab鈥 project through its second phase from 2024 to 2026. Launched in 2021, this initiative has bridged the growing digital gap in the cultural and creative industries (CCI), equipping young professionals with essential digital skills and driving policy innovation. UNESCO will support projects in Thailand, Indonesia and Moldova with a new Korean contribution of over US$365,000.
鈥淭he Digital Creativity Lab continues to champion the transformative power of digital technologies in the cultural and creative sectors,鈥 said Toussaint Tiendrebeogo, Chief of the UNESCO Diversity of Cultural Expressions Entity. 鈥淎s it enters its second phase, the initiative is proving that digital inclusion is not just a goal but a necessity,鈥 he added.
The renewed cooperation is based on the success of the project鈥檚 first phase, which implemented four projects benefitting 12 countries between 2022 and 2024. The project contributed to the development of policies and training initiatives, helping countries adapt to the digital transformation while fostering inclusive growth in CCIs.
Key achievements of Phase 1
Protection of digital music copyright in Indonesia
UNESCO guided the revision of copyright legislation for music streaming by supporting a report, 鈥鈥, which revealed critical gaps in profit-sharing for musicians. To address these challenges, a practical guidebook, 鈥鈥, was published in Indonesian.
The efforts have laid the groundwork for enhanced policies and better royalty systems, allowing for greater financial security for musicians.
Speakers of Digital Music Copyright public discussion at M Bloc Space, held on May 3, 2024
(from left to right: Ratri Ninditya, Melly Goeslaw, Wendi Putranto, Sade Susanto, Yovie Widianto)
Sustainable digital transformation of Moldova鈥檚 CCIs
With support of UNESCO, Moldova mapped its CCIs and launched a national online portal offering guidance to policymakers and businesses in the creative sector. Moldova also integrated digital skills training into specialized university courses, empowering students to produce and market content.
Official launch of the project 鈥淒igital Transformation of Cultural and Creative Industries in the Republic of Moldova鈥,
21 July 2022, Chisinau.
Digital capacity strengthened in the Mekong Region
In Thailand, UNESCO joined forces with Bangkok to launch the 鈥NewView XR Lab鈥, a creative digital laboratory programme to boost digital and technological skills of artists and cultural professionals. Through mentoring of project ideation, execution and market testing, the initiative attracted 133 on-site course participants, 76 among which were young women from various creative fields.
The Thai Ghost Comic XR project was ideated during the hackathon in Bangkok and developed using extended reality technology
- Increased digital literacy in Central Asia
UNESCO translated the third edition of its 鈥Re|shaping Policies for Creativity鈥 report into making key insights more accessible in Central Asia. The data facilitated four national studies aimed at identifying the current state of digital development in three priority areas: cinema, music and cultural event organization.
The Endangered Species project uses augmented reality geolocation technology to raise awareness of endangered species in the World Heritage Site of Phong Na Khe Bang, Viet Nam.
