The Forum, jointly organized by UNESCO, the Italian government, the Tuscany region and the Municipality of Florence, will be inaugurated on the 2 October (2 p.m.) by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, Mayor of Florence Dario Nardella, President of the Tuscany region Enrico Rossi and the Italian Minister of Heritage and Cultural Activities Dario Franceschini.

The Forum is devoted to the theme “Culture, Creativity and Sustainable Development. Research, Innovation, Opportunities”, and will address the role of culture in creating a sustainable future, as well as promoting employment, growth and innovations. It will be divided into two plenary sessions and six panels: “Culture and Creativity: a Dual Commitment to the Future”, “Cultural Industries, Employment and Growth”, “Innovation, Technology and Know-How for Sustainable Futures”, “The Power of Culture for Inclusive Societies”, “New Approaches to Measuring Change”, “Investing in Culture”, “Culture and the Post-2015 Development Agenda” and “Nurturing Culture for the Sustainable Development of Urban and Rural Areas”.

The event will conclude with the adoption of the “Florence Declaration”, presenting proposals on the integration of culture in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which will be discussed by the United Nations General Assembly the following year. 

A Round Table on “Safeguarding Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Development and Peace Building: Success Stories of Italy-UNESCO Cooperation”, which is funded by the Italian side, will be held on the margins of the Forum (3 October, 5-6 p.m.). Several recent projects on safeguarding UNESCO World Heritage in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Jordan and Mali will be discussed by the participants, who include Ministers and senior representatives of cultural sectors of recipient countries, representatives of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNESCO experts.

Finally, a photo exhibition showing the 50 years of cooperation between UNESCO and Italy on Afghan cultural heritage will be inaugurated on 2 October (6 p.m.).

The two previous editions of the UNESCO World Forum on Culture and Cultural Industries were held in Monza (Italy) in 2009 and 2011.

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For more information: http://www.focus2014.org/?lang=en

The Forum will take place in Palazzo Vecchio (Piazza della Signoria, Florence), with synchronized translation into English, French and Italian.

Journalists, who wish to cover the conference, are required to apply for accreditation online:

http://www.focus2014.org/presse/accreditation-en-ligne/?lang=en

Media contacts:

Mariangela Della Monica – Fondazione Sistema Toscana m.dellamonica(at)fondazionesistematoscana.it

Tel : +39 334 6606721

Lucía Iglesias – UNESCO Press Service

Tel : +33 (0) 145681702;  l.iglesias(at)unesco.org