This event will bring together leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean on 9–10 December to discuss key cultural policies and position culture as a driver of sustainable development and global cohesion.

On 9 and 10 December 2024, Santiago de Chile will become the virtual epicentre where leaders, experts, and representatives from Latin America and the Caribbean will gather to participate in the preparatory regional consultation for the World Conference on Cultural Policies (MONDIACULT 2025). This meeting represents a historic opportunity to reaffirm the global commitment to positioning culture as an essential pillar of sustainable development, peacebuilding, and international cooperation.

Over two days of intense debates, current trends and emerging challenges facing the cultural sector will be analysed. Latin America and the Caribbean, with their extraordinary cultural diversity and capacity to implement innovative public policies, will play a crucial role in designing strategies that establish culture as a transformative force on a global scale.

During this consultation, priority topics for the region will be discussed, such as cultural rights, the impact of digital technologies on the cultural sector, and integrating culture into education. Other issues to be addressed include the cultural economy and its potential to drive sustainable development, as well as the importance of cultural action in tackling climate change and protecting heritage in crisis contexts. Additionally, artificial intelligence and the role of culture in promoting peace will be key discussion points, reflecting the commitment to addressing future challenges and opportunities.

Another fundamental aspect of the meeting will be to reflect on how to position culture as an independent objective in the post-2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. This approach seeks to acknowledge the unique role of culture in formulating public policies that promote social, economic, and environmental progress.

The regional consultation, organised with the support of Member States and civil society organisations, is based on a participatory and inclusive process guided by the priorities defined in the MONDIACULT 2022 Declaration. Contributions gathered through surveys and prior dialogues have been essential for structuring the discussions and identifying strategic areas of focus.

This meeting is supported by UNESCO in Chile, which hosts this regional consultation, in cooperation with representatives from Costa Rica and Paraguay, as well as Guatemala, as members of the Regional Consultation Bureau.

The event will feature distinguished speakers, including Ernesto Ottone-Ramírez, Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO; Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of UNESCO's Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean; Carolina Arredondo Marzán, Chile’s Minister of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage; and Jordi Martí Grau, Spain’s Deputy Minister of Culture. Alongside them, Member State representatives and cultural organisation leaders will enrich the discussions with their perspectives and experiences.

The regional consultation for MONDIACULT 2025 will be a pivotal step towards the World Conference on Cultural Policies, ensuring that the voices, ideas, and aspirations of the regions are reflected in the design of global cultural policies. This meeting not only aims to be a platform for knowledge exchange but also to strengthen alliances and promote culture as a vital driver of sustainable development and social cohesion.