Naples Statement: Culture for the Sustainable Development of Africa and the World

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Naples Statement: Culture for the Sustainable Development of Africa and the World

G7 Ministers Meeting on Culture: Special Session, Naples, Italy, September 21, 2024
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We, the Culture leaders of the African Union, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, together with the Heads of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and the African Development Bank;

Meeting in Naples on 21 September 2024, under Italy’s 2024 Presidency of the G7;

Emphasising that culture is essential for the identity and prosperity of our nations, peoples and communities and for a sustainable planet;

Convinced that all cultures of the world are equally entitled to respect just as individuals are equal as regards access to culture;

Convinced of the importance of culture as a transformative driver and enabler for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals set out in the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

Acknowledging the progress made at the 2023 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) on the integration of culture in global climate discussions;

Recalling the importance of the creative economy for Africa’s prosperity, providing opportunities for socio-economic growth, business and job creation, in particular for the younger generations;

Noting the outcomes of the UNESCO Mondiacult Conference (2022) and UNESCO’s “Naples Conference on Cultural Heritage in the 21st Century” (2023);

We intend to work with African governments to leverage culture as a key driver of sustainable development.

We are committed to building mutually beneficial partnerships based on the principles of respect for cultural identities, mutual understanding, freedom of expression and co-creation of cultural contents and activities.

We will foster reciprocal knowledge sharing with African governments and cultural institutions and other key stakeholders, including individuals and the private sector, to support efforts to boost cultural and creative sectors and industries; protect cultural property from illicit trafficking; promote, safeguard and sustainably manage cultural heritage and increase the presence of Africa in the UNESCO tangible and intangible heritage Lists.

We will leverage current efforts to mainstream cultural considerations in the international climate agenda and national climate strategies and plans and foster the ecological transition of cultural and creative sectors and industries.

We call for the full recognition and integration of culture and the creative economy into the development processes and policies and will promote the inclusion of culture as a standalone goal in future discussions on how to advance sustainable development beyond 2030.

We will support culture and sustainable development in Africa by fostering partnerships and policies that align with African governments’ development priorities, and respect the cultural diversity and richness of African countries.

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Source: Official website of Italy's 2024 G7 Presidency

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	Please send comments to: g7@utoronto.ca This page was last updated September 23, 2024.