Periodic Report United Kingdom

The United Kingdom (UK) ratified the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Diversity in December 2007. This period has been one of vibrancy and achievement as different groups in society have developed their capacity for cultural expression in the arts and the media.

World class galleries, museums and orchestras have continued to attract millions of overseas visitors. Their presence acts as a stimulus for a diverse range of cultural activities: especially in London, one of the world’s pre-eminent international cities, selected to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 – and its Cultural Olympiad, which has engaged millions of people in cultural expression.

The future nevertheless holds some important challenges. Not least of these is the financial crisis, with its concomitant risk that cultural expression is seen as a luxury for which funding can be easily reduced.

Economic uncertainty, together with the crisis in Europe, has given rise to populist movements valuing national culture and identity above those of communities which have migrated to the UK from both the Commonwealth and Europe: this risks tensions which could inhibit the diversity and range of cultural expression