UNESCO’s Culture Podcast features dialogues with UNESCO staff, external experts and cultural actors on key cultural issues. The talks burrow into critical topics such as heritage protection, freedom of artistic expression and the illicit trafficking of cultural objects through the first-hand accounts and stories.
MOST RECENT PODCASTS
JUNE 2018
06. Intangible cultural heritage: A source of resilience for communities affected by conflict?
In this podcast, Lassana Cisse, former National Director of Cultural Heritage and coordinator of the "Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Mali for Urgent Safeguarding" project, examines how intangible cultural heritage can serve as a source of resilience for communities affected by conflict.
JUNE 2018
05. Tourists behaving badly? Making sustainable tourism a reality at World Heritage sites
Last year, more than 1.2 billion people traveled across international borders, a trend that is only set to continue. As the number of people traveling for tourism continues to grow, UNESCO World Heritage sites are seeing their visitor numbers increase dramatically, creating enormous opportunities but also challenges for these sites and local communities. Balancing the ideals of conservation, economic development and local participation at World Heritage sites is the goal of UNESCO’s World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme, which is led by Peter Debrine. In this episode, we sat down with Peter to talk about UNESCO’s efforts to make sustainable tourism a reality, and also to hear his tips for travelers who wish to visit World Heritage sites sustainably.
MARCH 2018
04. The Digital Revolution
In this episode of Talking about Culture, we feature an interview with Danielle Cliche, Secretary of the 2005 Convention, and Octavio Kulesz, a UNESCO expert and one of the authors behind Re|Shaping Cultural Policies, who reveal how the digital revolution has fundamentally transformed how artists make, distribute and are compensated for their work. They also explore how UNESCO and its Member States have sought to ensure that all artists can benefit from the potential of digital technologies, as well as the potential effects of artificial intelligence on the cultural and creative industries.
FEBRUARY 2018
03. Recovering Cambodia’s heritage: The case of the Koh Ker statues
Focusing on the captivating account of the restitution of Cambodia’s famous Koh Ker statues – looted from the Koh Ker temple complex in the 1960s and 70s – the latest episode of the Culture Sector podcast features an interview with Anne Lemaistre, Head of the UNESCO Office in Phnom Penh, who offers a glimpse into how UNESCO works to return looted cultural objects to their countries of origin.
DECEMBER 2017
02. What are Cultural Rights?
Did you know that the ability to access, participate in and contribute to cultural life is considered a human right? In the latest episode of the Culture Sector podcast, “Talking about Culture”, Karima Bennoune, the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about cultural rights, including: What are cultural rights? What is their basis in international law? Can cultural rights ever be used to justify limits on the rights of women and girls? You can listen to this fascinating podcast here.
SEPTEMBER 2017
01. Exploring World Heritage
In this first installment of “Talking About Culture”, Francesco Bandarin, Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, offers an eye-opening account of his two most recent missions to two very different World Heritage sites: Wrangel Island in the far north of Siberia and the mysterious Cueva de las Manos in Patagonia. Although one is home to polar bears and the other to 10,000 year-old cave paintings, both are irreplaceable reminders of the importance of safeguarding humanity’s heritage, for our planet and ourselves.