UNESCO launches an open call to civil society for written contributions
At its 15th session in February 2022, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions recognised the fundamental role of civil society in supporting the creation, distribution and access to diverse cultural expressions. In view of this, the Committee has invited the Secretariat to encourage civil society organisations (CSOs), including micro, small and medium-sized cultural and creative enterprises (SMEs), as well as cultural institutions and organisations, to submit written contributions on a targeted number of specific issues decided by the Committee (Decision 15.IGC.11).
For the 2022 call, the written contributions will focus on the following two themes:
- Challenges faced in the context of COVID-19 in relation to the diversity of cultural expressions, both offline and online
- The importance of the participation of micro, small and medium-sized cultural and creative enterprises in the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions
This call provides a valuable opportunity for organisations to share their priorities, concerns and suggestions with the members of the Committee, which will be duly taken into consideration during the Committee’s discussions and inform future strategic decisions.
Interested CSOs, SMEs and cultural organisations are invited to submit their contributions by 28 November 2022 in one of the working languages of the Committee (English or French) through the dedicated online platform, which is available at the following address: https://survey.unesco.org/3/index.php?r=survey/index&sid=458857&lang=en
The contributions received by the Secretariat will form the basis of an online exchange between the Committee and interested civil society actors on key issues raised in the written contributions, to be held during the 16th session of the Committee which will take place from 7 to 10 February 2023 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.