The Mondiacult calls for the recognition and preservation of cultural and linguistic diversity

BarcelonaThe Ministers of Culture from 160 countries who participated for three days in Mondiaculto 2025 In Barcelona, they signed a document that claims culture as an "integral part of human development" and, therefore, have committed to creating "safe and accessible" cultural spaces that foster dialogue, social cohesion, and a sense of belonging, and contribute to reducing "violence." The text calls for preserving and recognizing cultural and linguistic diversity: the languages of local communities, minorities, and vulnerable groups, and the languages of indigenous peoples and people of African descent.

For the ministers, culture must have an "independent objective" in the peaceful and sustainable development agendas agreed upon by member states at the United Nations after 2030. The document defends cultural rights as human rights. The delegations affirmed that only through "collective action" can they make progress in a "coherent" and "effective" manner to forge more "resilient and inclusive" futures.

The closing ceremony of Mondiacult concluded this Wednesday at the Barcelona International Convention Center (CCIB), with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay in attendance. Both workshops focused on artificial intelligence and the culture of peace. The delegations advocated for UNESCO, its Member States, Associate Member States, and stakeholders to "strengthen and adapt their cultural policies to contemporary challenges." One of these is precisely to find cultural paths to "lasting peace," which is why they advocate for intercultural, intergenerational, and interreligious dialogue, conflict prevention and resolution, and post-crisis recovery.

Regarding AI, the conclusions of the UNESCO workshops speak of promoting the responsible use, development, and management of AI systems in accordance with human rights. They specify that they should be "ethical, reliable, transparent, secure, sustainable, and inclusive" and "address the gaps that affect issues such as gender equality." The agreed text emphasizes the fight against racism, discrimination, and prejudice that threaten artistic freedom, freedom of expression, diversity, and cultural heritage. In the area of the cultural economy, the ministers have committed to strengthening the mobility of artists and cultural institutions, especially when they find themselves in situations of conflict, disaster, or forced displacement.

Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun closed Mondiacult 2025 by celebrating a "successful attendance"—more than 2,500 people participated over three days—and applauded the level of the discussions and the ambition of the final text. "The United Nations is in the midst of renewing the development agenda, which will be defined starting in 2030," he recalled. "We want culture to be a specific objective of the next 2030 agenda," he insisted. For his part, UNESCO Deputy Director-General Ernesto Ottone praised the multilateralism evident during these sessions.