<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Barcelona hosted the 22nd Ibero-American Conference of Ministers of Culture this Sunday, September 28, during which the 22 countries of the region reaffirmed their commitment to culture as a key strategic pillar of sustainable development, a driver of social cohesion, and a strengthening of democracy in the region.</strong></h4> The agreement is reflected in a declaration that will be submitted to the 30th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State, to be held next year in Madrid. The declaration calls for updating the current Ibero-American Cultural Charter to respond to the sector's challenges in areas such as gender equity, diversity, digital transformation, cultural rights, and the connection between culture, climate, and sustainability. The process of updating the Charter will be participatory, coordinated by the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) together with the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI). The Spanish Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, who hosted this Conference, stated that "Ministers of Culture have the responsibility today to send a clear message: culture cannot be merely a deliverable at the 30th Summit; it must be its own central issue, recognized for what it is: an essential dimension for democracy, sustainability, and social justice." The Conference also agreed, with reference to the SEGIB (Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sustainable Development), to reaffirm its financial and technical commitment to the 14 cultural cooperation programs, promote the Ibero-American Strategy for Culture and Sustainable Development, and update the Ibero-American Digital Cultural Agenda. The Conference also addressed the creation of innovative financing mechanisms, including the future Ibero-American Fund for Reciprocal Guarantees, which will provide resources for the cultural and creative industries, encouraging investment in projects with social and economic impact. Representatives of the Ibero-American countries agreed on the need to promote a regional vision that links culture and environmental sustainability, articulating traditional knowledge, science, and innovation, in preparation for their participation in COP30 in Belém do Pará, Brazil. They also committed to implementing the Agenda to strengthen democratic access to books, reading, and oral expression, in a joint effort with the Regional Center for the Promotion of Books in Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLALC). The representatives of the 22 countries also recognized MONDIACULT, the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development, taking place in Barcelona from September 29 to October 1, as a significant opportunity to advance the design of cultural policies in line with current challenges. In this regard, they submitted a joint communiqué to UNESCO reflecting the Ibero-American vision for these challenges. Finally, the SEGIB (Spanish Institute of Statistics and Geography) confirmed its support for the High-Level Forum of the Group for Climate Action from a Cultural Basis. “At the OEI, we believe that cultural cooperation is experiencing a moment of great political and social importance. Culture defines us and gives us cohesion, and that is why, for more than 75 years, it has been a hallmark of our organization, with more than a hundred projects underway in this area. At this Conference, we particularly highlight two initiatives that we would like to see reflected in the final declaration of the next Ibero-American summit: the update of the Ibero-American Cultural Charter and the Artist Statute for Artists and Cultural Workers, through which we seek to guarantee labor rights and greater social protection for a sector that is fundamental to our societies,” stated OEI Secretary General Mariano Jabonero. For the Ibero-American Secretary General, Andrés Allamand, the meeting demonstrates the value of the Ibero-American Cultural Space, which is evident in the contribution of the 14 development cooperation programs of the 22 countries. “Our work over more than 20 years in Culture is an example of a multilateralism that works and continues to renew itself to respond to current challenges. The Ibervideojuegos program approved at the last Summit is an example, as is the new program we will present to the Heads of State in Madrid on cultural training and management.”
