91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ

Over the last few years, countries have explicitly expressed their aspiration to position culture as a standalone goal in the post-2030 development agenda, both in last year’s G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration as well as in the Ministerial Declaration of the UNESCO MONDIACULT Conference in September 2022.

Rising inequalities within and between countries have shed new light on the critical importance of enforcing equal access to and participation in cultural life, as enshrined in Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Unequal access to culture is an integral part of the multifaceted nature of inequalities. Ensuring participation in cultural life for all, including groups that have been historically marginalized and underrepresented, can be a key catalyst for social inclusion.

Moreover, reaffirming countries’ commitment to the respect of cultural diversity and pluralism is more crucial than ever, as a security imperative, to sustain social cohesion and stability, support conflict prevention, mitigation and resolution. Culture can also play a central role in enabling post-conflict reconciliation both within and between countries, enhancing recovery from trauma, promoting social cohesion and safeguarding collective memory.

The digital environment posits a new paradigm for culture, presenting both risks and opportunities. In this context, the issue of cultural rights in the digital space holds paramount importance. Furthermore, new challenges to artistic freedom in the digital environment have emerged, notably those related to online censorship and content regulation, the protection of artistic freedom and artists’ rights in online spaces, and the disparities created among artists due to the digital divide.

One of the most pressing issues is indeed that of copyright in the digital environment and its repercussions on fair remuneration for artists. UNESCO stands ready to support the search for an international mechanism that provides legal certainty and predictability to artists and creators regarding fair and balanced remuneration in the digital environment. To this end, work could be leveraged on existing policy instruments built by UNESCO, notably as part of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, particularly the 2017 Operational Guidelines on the Implementation of the Convention in the Digital Environment and the 2020 Open Roadmap, which are already being implemented by some countries.

In the area of Artificial Intelligence, UNESCO seeks to adapt its normative instruments, placing particular emphasis on the importance of respecting and promoting cultural diversity at all stages of the AI system life cycle, given its inherent tendency to homogenize content. In this vein, UNESCO issued the 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which includes cultural provisions underlining the range and complexity of the implications of AI for culture.

The creative and cultural industries are an undisputed driver of inclusive, local economic growth and job creation. Considered one of the industries with the highest growth potential, the creative and cultural industries are also a source of inclusive economic growth, employing a larger proportion of underrepresented social groups than other sectors, including women, youth, while also supportive inclusive participation in cultural life and employment of all communities. In order to harness the full potential of an inclusive, innovative and dynamic creative economy, UNESCO is actively engaged in the context of the 2005 Convention on Diversity of Cultural Expressions and stands ready to support the G20’s discussions and deliverables on these matters.

The protection of cultural heritage plays a vital role in safeguarding a diversity of cultural expressions, which are enshrined in both tangible and intangible heritage, through traditional or contemporary forms. To support cultural heritage safeguarding and promotion, UNESCO stands ready to support the G20, building on its comprehensive set of normative instruments.

To support societies resilience and continuity across time, strengthening the fight against illicit trafficking and supporting an open and inclusive dialogue on the return and restitution of cultural property are critical endeavours. Those priorities were strongly profiled in the MONDIACULT Declaration and have been an overarching area of engagement of the G20 Culture workstream since its inception. UNESCO stands ready to support the G20 Membership, building on its 1970 Convention on the Fight against the Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property.