2005 Convention on Diversity of Cultural Expressions

The 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions is a legal instrument whose text contains seven chapters:

I.   Objectives and guiding principles

II.  Scope of application

III. Definitions

IV. Rights and obligations of Parties

V.  Relationship to other instruments

VI. Organs of the Convention

VII. Final clauses

ANNEX

The Operational Guidelines of the Convention include a set of texts elaborated by the Intergovernmental Committee and adopted by the Conference of Parties, providing general guidelines for the implementation and application of the provisions of the Convention. They are to be considered as a “roadmap” for understanding, interpretation and implementation of specific articles of the Convention.

Art. 7. Measures to Promote Cultural Expressions

Art. 8 and 17. Measures to Protect Cultural Expressions - Special Situations

Art. 9. Information Sharing and Transparency

Art. 10. Education and Public Awareness

Art. 11. Role and Participation of Civil Society

Art. 12. Promotion of International Cooperation

Art. 13. Integration of Culture in Sustainable Development

Art. 14. Cooperation for Development

Art. 15. Modalities for Partnerships

Art. 16. Preferential Treatment for Developing Countries

Art. 18. Guidelines on the Use of the Resources of the International Fund for Cultural Diversity

Art. 19. Exchange, Analysis and Dissemination of Information
 

- Guidelines on the Use of the Emblem of the Convention

- Guidelines on the Implementation of the Convention in the Digital Environment

As an international law, the 2005 Convention operates within the context of the United Nations rules and procedures. All the countries that have ratified the Convention are called “Parties” and together form “the Conference of Parties”. When a country ratifies a Convention, it becomes legally bound to the terms of that Convention. 

The Convention is subject to ratification, acceptance, approval or accession by Member States of UNESCO in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures.

The Convention is open to accession by non-Member States of UNESCO and regional economic integration organizations.

A designated authority – the President, Prime Minister or Foreign Minister in the case of Member States – must deposit the instrument of ratification with the Director-General of UNESCO. The internal procedure leading to this varies considerably in terms of its duration and mode of implementation, as it is specific to each Member State or regional economic integration organization.

For more information on how to ratify, please contact the 2005 Secretariat: convention2005@unesco.org.

Upon ratification, Parties designate a point of contact responsible for sharing Convention-related information with relevant Ministries and public agencies. Points of contact coordinate information and data from different governmental and non-governmental sources, and assist in the drafting of the quadrennial periodic reports.

In order to promote the 2005 Convention on the Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions ("the Convention") and increase its visibility at the national, regional and international levels, Parties to the Convention adopted in June 2013 an emblem encapsulating its objectives and principles.