Event
Artistic Freedom: The Road Ahead
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, this event will mark two decades of progress in promoting artistic freedom and civic engagement in the arts, while addressing current challenges, such as gender gap and the impact of global crises on cultural expressions. It will bring together leading global and regional institutions committed to advancing artistic freedom.
As a side event to the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, it will provide a platform to foster international cooperation, share lessons learned and exchange best practices.
Discussions will focus on the achievements made possible by strategic initiatives such as the Aschberg Programme for Artists and Cultural Professionals and the "Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity and Artistic Freedom" programme. Generously supported by Norway and Sweden, these programmes have been vital in advocating for artistic freedom, promoting gender equality, safeguarding cultural expressions in times of crisis, and reshaping cultural policies to foster more inclusive and sustainable creative ecosystems.
The event will feature a dialogue between UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Deeyah Khan, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and human rights activist, and Ernesto Ottone R., UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, as well as a special artistic performance by Afghan artist Ghawgha.
In view of the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development – MONDIACULT 2025 to be held from 29 September to 1 October (Barcelona, Spain), this event will also provide the opportunity for the participants to propose recommendations to be used in the discussions aiming at building a stand-alone goal for culture in the post-2030 sustainable development Agenda.
