The World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development – MONDIACULT 2025 consolidated culture as an essential pillar of sustainable development and a fundamental human right.
More than 150 countries reaffirmed their commitment to establishing a standalone goal for culture within the post-2030 United Nations agenda, recognising it as a global public good.
Inspired by the Braga Manifesto, signed during the 2024 Annual Meeting of the UNESCO Creative Cities, the session promoted— for the first time—by the Creative Cities Network within the framework of MONDIACULT, entitled “Creative Cities, Sustainable Futures: Local Innovation for Global Impact”, presented concrete examples and real impacts demonstrating the decisive role of cities in implementing global cultural policies.
Before an engaged and attentive audience, and moderated by Joana Miranda, from Braga, a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts, the discussion featured Kajsa Ravin, Director-General of the Swedish Arts Council; Gil Alves Ferreira, from Santa Maria da Feira, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy; Fatema Al-Sulaiti, from Doha, a UNESCO Creative City of Design; and Jordi Hernández, from Terrassa, a UNESCO Creative City of Film. Together, they demonstrated that global change begins at the local level.
Their day-to-day work, in dialogue with artists, citizens and communities, transforms the principles of the MONDIACULT Declaration into tangible and measurable impacts.
Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture, emphasised in his closing remarks the growing importance of cities in implementing the principles and commitments of MONDIACULT.
He stressed that the future of culture, as a global public good, requires more open, collaborative and inclusive governance models, capable of bringing together cities, national governments and international organisations in a joint effort.
This articulation—from the local to the global—is essential to turn declarations into concrete action, ensuring that the values of MONDIACULT are translated into participatory, sustainable and transformative cultural policies.