Ahead of the ninth session of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005 Convention), civil society organisations from around the world will meet to discuss our role in enabling diverse cultural expressions.

The Civil Society Forum is an opportunity for non-governmental voices to raise concerns, share experiences, identify gaps, and find possibilities to increase involvement in the work of the convention. Held every two years, this is an important opportunity for IFLA to increase the presence of library perspectives in implementing the 2005 Convention.

Objectives:

  • To provide a space for civil society organisations and professionals interested and/or operating in the fields covered by the 2005 Convention to exchange on challenges and solutions relevant for the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions;
  • To enable civil society representatives to formulate joint recommendations to inform the work of the governing bodies of the Convention;
  • To raise awareness on the objectives of the Convention and encourage its implementation among a larger community of civil society representatives.

Revisit the outcomes from the 3rd Civil Society Forum (2021) here.

4th edition of the Civil Society Forum

IFLA has taken a leading role in organizing the 4th Civil Society Forum, joining a group of volunteer organisations to develop the agenda and identify key discussion topics.

Taking place on 5 June 2023 in hybrid format, the 4th Civil Society Forum will explore the following topics:

  • Recognising culture as a global public good: implications for sustainable development and cultural rights
  • Diversity of cultural expressions in the digital environment: challenges and opportunities
  • Cultural governance, public policies and commitments to the 2005 Convention

It will conclude in a plenary session, where recommendations from the day’s discussions will be agreed upon, to be reported to the Conference of Parties during the subsequent 9th Session (6-9 June).

IFLA will participate in the discussions to bring perspectives from the library field on these critical aspects of cultural diversity to the attentions of fellow non-governmental partners and UNESCO member states.

See the full agenda here: 4th Civil Society Forum