Libraries are vital pieces of the cultural infrastructure, enabling the discovery, creation, and enjoyment of diverse expressions of culture to be a part of everyday life.

To give just a few examples, they help ensure the safeguarding of the memory of the world in all its diversity, and they are community spaces, concerned with upholding freedom of expression, of access to information, and the right to participate in the cultural life of one’s community.

Drawing on their collections, as well as the expertise and dedication of their staff, they offer unique opportunities for exploration, exchange, and open dialogue that builds multicultural respect. And they have a key role to play in digital inclusion and, in particular as providers of non-formal education and lifelong learning, in building skills for cultural participation in the digital world.

There are so many ways that libraries contribute to upholding cultural rights, but are they being recognised and their potential realised in wider cultural policy discussions? When envisioning a holistic cultural policy that helps build inclusive and resilient societies, libraries must be counted in.

This 110-minute webinar is offered as part of the UNESCO ResiliArt x Mondiacult initiative, in preparation for the upcoming UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development –  Mondiacult 2022.

When: February 23, 2022, 15:00-16:50 CET

The virtual event will ask library and information experts to share their experience and perspectives on several vectors of inclusive and meaningful access to culture. Crucially, their discussion will shed light on priorities for libraries and gaps in cultural policy that can be addressed to further enable libraries to fulfil this role.