Prof. Hanna Schreiber at MONDIACULT 2025 conference in Barcelona

About the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT)

Dr. hab. Hanna Schreiber, Head of the UNESCO Chair on Intangible Cultural Heritage in Public and Global Governance (ichgovernance.com), is participating from 28 September to 1 October in the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT) in Barcelona. This is the third global conference in history entirely devoted to the crucial role of culture in international relations, cultural policies and sustainable development. The first was held in 1982 in Mexico City, the second in 2022, also in Mexico City (marking the 40th anniversary of the Mexico City Declaration on Cultural Policy), and the third, in 2025, is currently underway in Barcelona. Further conferences are planned every five years.

Objectives of the MONDIACULT conference 2025

The main objective of this event, which convenes ministers of culture from around the world, directors of cultural institutions, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, and UNESCO chairs, is to establish “culture” as an independent, new Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Conference documents may be consulted here.

Focus areas of the MONDIACULT conference 2025

The conference is organised around two focus areas: the role of culture for peace and the relationship between culture and artificial intelligence (AI). These two themes are also central in the work of the UNESCO Chair on ICH in Public and Global Governance. Dr. hab. Schreiber has delivered lectures and conducted trainings on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in military activities (see: https://www.ichgovernance.com/polish-armed-forces-on-the-safeguarding-of-intangible-cultural-heritage/) and in crisis-management processes (see: https://www.ichgovernance.com/prof-hanna-schreiber-trains-eu-member-states-representatives-on-intangible-heritage/). Together with Prof. Bartosz Pieliński, she also organised, in cooperation with UNESCO, a first global webinar on AI and intangible cultural heritage (https://ich.unesco.org/en/events/webinar-on-artificial-intelligence-and-intangible-cultural-heritage-01012).

ICH NGO Forum Statement during the MONDIACULT 2025 conference

At the Barcelona conference, Dr. hab. Schreiber was actively involved in drafting the position of NGOs accredited to UNESCO (see the outcome document), since she is co-founder, together with Prof. Janet Blake, of the Working Group on Legal and Policy Development of the Intangible Cultural Heritage NGO Forum (https://www.ichngoforum.org/wg/legal-and-policy-development/).

The ICH NGO Forum calls on States Parties and other stakeholders to ensure that, policies, resources, and international cooperation recognise and support ICH communities, practitioners, and NGOs as essential partners in safeguarding living heritage for present and future generations. We reaffirm that living heritage is an indispensable part of culture, understood as a global public good.

In Barcelona, 30 September 2025
ICH NGO Forum Executive Board

Furthermore, prof. Schreiber participated in Merce celebrations, living heritage of Barcelona inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, that includes human towers traditions, giants processions and dancing.