The Cities Pact for Global Culture

The World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development – MONDIACULT 2025, held in Barcelona from 29 September to 1 October, consolidated culture as an essential pillar of sustainable development and a fundamental human right.

More than 150 countries reaffirmed their commitment to creating a stand-alone goal for culture in the post-2030 United Nations agenda, recognising it as a global public good.

Inspired by the Braga Manifesto, signed during the UNESCO Creative Cities Annual Meeting in 2024, the session promoted for the first time by the Creative Cities Network within the scope of MONDIACULT, entitled "Creative Cities, Sustainable Futures: Local Innovation for Global Impact", presented concrete examples and real impacts that prove the decisive role of cities in the implementation of global cultural policies.

Within this framework, it is important to recall the UNESCO Global Report on Cultural Policies, as it offers in-depth analysis and provides valuable insights into the dimensions under discussion.

Addressing a highly interested and participatory audience, and moderated by Joana Miranda, from Braga, Creative City of Media Arts, the debate featured: Kajsa Ravin, Director-General of the Swedish Arts Council; Gil Alves Ferreira, Santa Maria da Feira, Creative City of Gastronomy; Fatema Al-Sulaiti, from Doha, UNESCO Creative City of Design; and Jordi Hernández, from Terrassa, Creative City of Film, demonstrated that global change begins at the local level.

Its daily work, in dialogue with artists, citizens and communities, transforms the principles of the MONDIACULT Declaration into tangible and measurable impacts.

Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, in his closing remarks, highlighted 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 models of governance, capable of bringing together cities, national governments and international organisations in a joint effort.

This coordination, from the local to the global level, is essential to transform declarations into concrete actions, ensuring that the values of MONDIACULT are translated into participatory, sustainable and transformative cultural policies.

We encourage you to watch, here, the full recording of the session here to gain a complete insight into the presentations and discussions.