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UNESCO and the government of Norway renew its partnership through a new 4 year agreement on Norway’s support to Culture and Communication and Information

On 24 October 2022, UNESCO and Norway signed a new four-year (2022-2025) Programme Cooperation Agreement on the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to UNESCO’s work in the field of Culture and Communication and Information. Through the long-term predictable financial support of Norway, UNESCO will strengthen its work in the fields of culture – to support world heritage, in particular preserving World Heritage sites in Africa; protect heritage in emergencies; and support artistic freedom. It will further boost its work in developing communication and defending freedom of expression and safety of journalists.

8 November 2022

Last update:12 June 2023

On UN day, UNESCO and Norway signed a new four-year agreement. I thank Norway for its support, which is more necessary than ever to promote peace and human rights in the world through heritage, artistic freedom, freedom of expression and safety of journalists.

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO

The agreement foresees the provision of 200 million Norwegian Kroner (approximately 20 million USD) over four years to support UNESCO in promoting freedom of expression, artistic freedom and world heritage. The agreement provides flexible funding at thematic levels which allows UNESCO to be more agile, to strengthen coherence of its actions and respond to realities on the ground. The new agreement includes increase of financial support to UNESCO’s work on safeguarding freedom of expression and information through the Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists.

Protecting journalists and cultural practitioners and their work is extremely important at a time when freedom of expression and cultural rights are under pressure in many countries. In Ukraine, for example, we see the importance of UNESCO’s efforts to protect press freedom as well as artistic expression and cultural heritage.

Ms. Anniken Huitfeldt, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway

Through this Programme Cooperation Agreement, Norway will continue its support to UNESCO throughout 2022-2025. The multi-year engagement of Norway, aligned with UNESCO’s four-year Programme and Budget (41 C/5; 2022-2025), allows UNESCO to implement its work with predictability and sustainability. It is the first four-year agreement between UNESCO and Norway, demonstrating Norway’s trust and confidence in UNESCO to deliver results.

Norway has constantly been a top donor to UNESCO over the past four years, mainly through flexible funding. The partnership between Norway and UNESCO is grounded on constant dialogue and shared values in finding common solutions to the present and future global challenges.