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A collective vision from the local for cultural rights that became Law

The Declaration "" embraced the objective of enunciating a broad catalogue of cultural liberties and a series of notions of public policy that stem from the recognition of cultural diversity, access and full enjoyment of cultural life, creativity, participatory governance and living culture from its conception.

It is an instrument that consolidates the main aspirations of the local cultural community, which recognizes and promotes guarantees and co-responsibilities in favour of cultural development, inclusion, democratic life, and the progressive exercise of Cultural Rights for all people in the municipality of San Luis. Potosí, México, with a non-regressive character, that is, the authorities must direct efforts of all kinds (budgetary, building, operational and technical) in favour of its realization and implementation, without leaving anyone behind. In addition, it can be taken up to be replicated in other locations!

The document guarantees the legitimacy of every person, group or cultural community to freely and fully exercise their cultural rights, as referred to in the Declaration, which was built in a participatory manner in the municipality through an unprecedented public process of innovation, institutional development and governance started in October 2018 by the Department of Culture of the Municipal Government.

The collaboration, also called UNESCO-San Luis, was a response to the integration of the Municipal Government of San Luis Potosí to the of the , promoted in coordination with the UNESCO Office in Mexico , through the support of the organization My World Mexico and under the strict observance of the State Human Rights Commission of San Luis Potosí.

A diverse look, continuous dialogue, open and permanent learning

Through 29 conversations and work groups, as well as eight focus groups, a reflection of open and democratic citizen participation was motivated, through the presentation of cases, bets and experiences accumulated among more than 1,100 people, organizations, institutions and specialists from different fields, territories and realities, who exposed needs and shared proposals. In addition, special attention was paid to historically vulnerable populations: children and youth, women, the elderly, migrants, people with disabilities, LGBTTTIQ+, and indigenous and native peoples.

The Municipality of San Luis Potosí led a series of dialogues, meetings and exchanges on cultural development in 2018, through its then recently created Directorate of Culture, which consolidated a long-term vision of local cultural development and to work on a regulatory reform with a human rights perspective, under the transversal axis of Cultural Rights and 3 thematic axes: Cultural Democracy, Promotion of Creativity and Territorial Equity. By May 2019, a management model was launched that included specific areas of action, such as a Community Cultural Development Coordination that was linked to the IberCultura Viva Network of Cities and Local Governments.

With the start of the pandemic, a strategy was sought to continue stimulating the debate and redirect the exercise through adopting and promoting remote work tools and platforms, virtual spaces or analogue support and synchronous and asynchronous formats. In addition, the UNESCO San Luis dumbbell joined the ResiliArt Global Movement, promoted by UNESCO.

The "Charter of the City of San Luis Potosí for Cultural Rights" is a Declaration that had the objective of recognizing and promoting, through a wide catalogue, the cultural rights of the inhabitants, visitors and in transit of the city of San Luis Potosí, as well as to enunciate a series of orientations, public policies, indicators for culture and proposals for the formulation of alliances between different sectors of society, which contribute substantially to the full development of identity and cultural diversity.

The declaration has a dimension of binding content and another of guidance.

In the binding contents by official provision can be found:

1. The reaffirmation of Cultural Rights that have already been recognized in national and international instruments with a local scope, these being:
   1. Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
   2. The 12th paragraph of Article 4 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States
   3. Article 11 of the General Law on Culture and Cultural Rights
   4. Article 5 of the Law of Culture for the State and Municipalities of San Luis Potosí
   5. Those related to the Municipal Regulation of Culture and Cultural Rights of San Luis Potosí
2. The obligations of the authority to promote, respect, protect and guarantee Cultural Rights

The indicative contents are:

6.  The orientations of Cultural Rights that account for the UNESCO San Luis participatory process and contribute directly to the international agenda of expansion and clarification of the concept, which revolve around capacities:
   1. Promotion and Development of Creative Abilities
   2. Cultural Democracy
   3. Territorial Equity and Living Culture
7. Cultural policy proposals for the full exercise of Cultural Rights.
8. The notions of indicator and cultural policy for the affirmative action of Cultural Rights related to:
   1. Intergenerationality
   2. Interculturality
   3. Substantive gender equality
   4. Sexual Orientation and gender identities & expressions diversity
   5. Inclusion and social reintegration
9. Alliances, possible synergies and encouragement for Cultural Rights in the city:
   1. Of the professionals and workers of Culture
   2. Of citizenship
   3. Of the Civil Society Organizations
   4. Of the private initiative
   5. From the academy
   6. About the public administration

The Declaration of the Charter obtained a binding and legal scope by the Municipal Regulation of Culture and Cultural Rights, and . Thus, the Municipal Regulation and its system integrated the result of this project between the UNESCO Office and the Municipality of San Luis Potosí.

Watch the presentation of the Charter of the City of San Luis Potosí for Cultural Rights, during the XI session of the Planning Committee for Municipal Development on September 8, 2021.