The 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression

The adoption of the 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions was a milestone in international cultural policy. Through this historic agreement, the global community formally recognised the dual nature, both cultural and economic, of contemporary cultural expressions produced by artists and cultural professionals. The 2005 Convention aims to support:

  • National policies and measures promote creation, production, distribution and access with regard to diverse cultural goods and services and contribute to informed, transparent and participatory systems of governance for culture.
  • Preferential treatment measures facilitate a balanced flow of cultural goods and services and promote the mobility of artists and cultural professionals around the world.
  • Sustainable development policies and international assistance programmes integrate culture as a strategic dimension.
  • International and national legislation related to human rights and fundamental freedoms promote both artistic freedom and the social and economic rights of artists.

In order to promote the Convention and increase its visibility at the national, regional and international levels, Parties to the Convention adopted an emblem regulated by Guidelines.

However, during armed conflict and natural disasters, intangible heritage is particularly at risk. For example, in 2014, Mali launched an inventory of the country’s intangible cultural heritage. By 2017, 211 elements had been inventoried for urgent safeguarding. (Learn more about Mali’s intangible cultural heritage inventory on UNESCOs website).

The emblem of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is

yellow, pink and blue lines drawn as a rough sketched world.

Emblem for the 2005 UNESCO Convention for Diversity of Cultural expressions

Read more about the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression on UNESCOs website (or see the list of signatories)

Return to the Blue Shield Overview of Treaty Law

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