Volt Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education Nela Riehl has drawn a positive conclusion following the MONDIACULT 2025 conference of UNESCO in Barcelona. MONDIACULT is a forum that brings together states, international organisations, and civil society actors to address cultural challenges and the political dimension of culture. The World Conference on Cultural Policies took place from 29 September to 1 October, gathering heads of government, culture ministers, and cultural policy stakeholders from more than 100 countries.
“Culture unites rather than divides”
Riehl particularly welcomed the willingness for global cooperation in the cultural sector. “This conference is also a strong signal that multilateralism is not dead. The participating nations share a fundamental conviction: that culture unites rather than divides. MONDIACULT is therefore an event where we celebrate diversity and encourage exchange. At a time when national egoism and isolationism are on the rise, this can no longer be taken for granted. I am therefore very pleased that, in the conference’s final declaration, culture is clearly defined as a public good and as a stand-alone Sustainable Development Goal.”
This year’s meeting was overshadowed by the withdrawal of the United States from UNESCO. “This means not only the loss of substantial financial resources, but also an important voice at the table,” Riehl said. “Fortunately, the conference showed that UNESCO is resilient: it still brings together many countries that believe in equal exchange in cultural policy. Nevertheless, I would hope that the Trump administration reconsiders its self-imposed isolation. In the end, it harms the American people and its own cultural sector the most when bridges are torn down. It is encouraging, however, to see that the international community within UNESCO remains just as active, continuing to develop strategies to address AI, war, and climate change.”
“Russia is abusing cultural means for hybrid warfare”
One striking aspect, however, is that Russia continues to participate in the MONDIACULT conference. While Riehl welcomes the general willingness to work towards diplomatic solutions, she sharply criticises this year’s appearance by the Russian delegation: “For me, it was unacceptable that this platform was misused for war propaganda. On the one hand, the Russian contributions reflected the ruthless worldview of the Russian government; on the other, they glossed over and justified Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The organisers should have countered this. I missed a clear critical framing that explicitly condemns Russia as the aggressor. Moscow is also abusing cultural means to deliberately destabilise societies and to spread its worldview in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. In Ukraine, cultural identity, cultural workers, and cultural institutions are explicit targets of Russian military operations and hybrid warfare. We must not simply accept this!”