The 16th International Forum of NGOs in Official Partnership with UNESCO will take place from 15‐16 April 2024 in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) with the theme, “Sustainable Cultures”. 

Organised by the NGO-UNESCO Liaison Committee in cooperation with UNESCO, the forum will explore how different stakeholders can contribute to the achievement of a stand-alone goal on culture in the post-2030 agenda. NGOs from all different fields of competency, along with those working specifically with the UNESCO Culture Conventions, will come together for two days of discussion and exchanges.

Our Goal – Culture in the post‐2030 Agenda

IFLA, as a member of the Culture 2030 Goal Campaign, will participate as a speaker in this session. It will gather insights and build support for a culture goal across the broader NGO community.

Speakers will present the work done so far by the NGO community especially after the MONDIACULT Declaration and will focus on how a culture goal will support the achievement of all the SDGs and in particular those relevant to UNESCO’s fields of competence (education, communication and information, natural sciences, social and human sciences).

Advocating and Acting for Culture

The programme also gives an opportunity for speakers to highlight their activities connecting culture with goals and challenges in other fields. We are thrilled to be joined by Mr. Adama Kone, Head of the Documentation and Archives Department at the National Assembly of Côte d’Ivoire, and Past President of the Ivorian Library Association (APSID-CI), who will give the following presentation:

Défis pour les bibliothèques en Afrique francophone

Le forum est une opportunité d’analyser les défis et opportunités des bibliothèques pour la promotion des cultures durables. En tant que lieu stratégique d’accès et de promotion des informations justes, équitables et pertinentes, les bibliothèques sont des acteurs clés de la mise en œuvre de l’agenda 2030 des Nations Unies et d’autres plans de développement au monde. Malheureusement en Côte d’Ivoire et dans de nombreux pays d’Afrique francophone, les bibliothèques sont en souffrance et elles peinent à jouer leur partition au développement. Quels sont les défis et quelles stratégies à adopter ?

Challenges for libraries in French-speaking Africa

As strategic venues for accessing and promoting fair, equitable and relevant information, libraries are key players in the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and other development plans around the world. Unfortunately in Côte d’Ivoire and in many French-speaking African countries, libraries are suffering and are struggling to play their part in development. What are the challenges and what strategies can be adopted? 

More information: NGO-UNESCO Liaison Committee