On Midsummer's Eve, Sweden was elected to UNESCO's Governmental Committee for the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions – the 2005 Convention. The decision was taken at the recently concluded meeting of the States Parties, which was attended by most of the 158 countries that have ratified the Convention.
The Government Committee consists of 24 member states from all over the world and is tasked with ensuring that the implementation of the Convention remains relevant in an ever-changing world. This means, for example, that the Committee analyses how new challenges and opportunities, such as AI, affect the cultural sector and how the Convention can be adapted accordingly.
Sweden's commitment and the role of the Swedish Arts Council
The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions was adopted by UNESCO in 2005 and thus turns 20 years old this year. Sweden was a driving force in the work to develop the 2005 Convention and was one of the first countries to accede to it. The Swedish Arts Council is the national contact point for the convention and we are pleased to be able to step into this commitment once again – Sweden had the assignment in the government committee from 2011 to 2015.
As a national focal point, we work to:
- Spread knowledge about the Convention in Sweden
- Communicate the content of the Convention in different contexts
- Arrange and participate in national and international meetings where the protection and promotion of a diversity of cultural expressions is at the center
- Contribute documentation to the Ministry of Culture in connection with committee and state party meetings.
Sweden will take a seat on the government committee after Norway, whose mandate expires at the end of the year. In the committee, Norway has pursued the issue of artistic freedom within the framework of the convention - a work that Sweden intends to continue.
"Freedom of expression and artistic freedom are prerequisites for democratic and resilient societies. It is positive that Sweden is now once again taking a seat on UNESCO's Governmental Committee for the 2005 Convention. We can be a driving force in ensuring that artists are protected, especially in times of crisis, and in countries where democracy is threatened," says Kajsa Ravin, Director General of the Swedish Arts Council.