Draft Resolution for Major Programme IV – Culture

The General Conference,

1.     Authorizes the Director-General to continue implementing during the period 2016-2017 the plan of action for Major Programme IV as approved in 37 C/Resolution 42 (paragraph 04000 of document 37 C/5 Approved) with the following adjustments:

        (b revised) to resort also in the implementation of the plan of action for Major Programme IV to South-South and North-South-South cooperation, as complementary modalities for delivery of the programme, to continue to develop partnerships with civil society, the private sector, organizations of the United Nations system, and other international organizations at all stages of programme development, and to demonstrate through evidence based impacts the role of culture as an enabler and driver of sustainable development in the implementation of the post- 2015 development agenda, in order to:

        Strategic objective 7: Protecting, promoting and transmitting heritage

        (i revised) protect and safeguard heritage in all its forms, and promote the wise and sustainable management thereof, in order to underscore the central role of heritage in promoting sustainable development, and as a vector of dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding within and among countries, especially in crisis situations, including through strengthened relationships with other relevant conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention, as well as intergovernmental programmes such as the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and the Programme on Man and the Biosphere; specifically strengthen the implementation of the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, and articulate international efforts needed to ensure its effective implementation and progressive development;

        (iv revised) provide children and youth with basic knowledge on heritage conservation and values, develop mutual understanding and networks among students and teachers and raise awareness among local communities about their heritage, including through an integrated heritage education programme;

        Strategic objective 8: Fostering creativity and the diversity of cultural expressions

        (v revised) strengthen the legal, policy and institutional environments that promote living heritage and creativity and support the diversity of cultural expressions, through the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and support for the emergence of dynamic cultural and creative industries, particularly mechanisms that foster local production of cultural goods and services, the development of local markets and access to platforms for their distribution/exchange worldwide, thereby highlighting the role of cultural and creative industries in poverty alleviation through job creation and income generation, and providing further evidence of the link between culture and sustainable development in implementing the post-2015 development agenda, especially in cities. Particular attention will be given to capacity-building in priority areas, including for youth. Attention will also be given to reinvigorating the international debate to improve socio-economic conditions for artists;

        (c revised) to allocate for this purpose an amount of

        option ZNG+ ($667M): $57,147,000 for the period 2016-2017 broken down as follows:

        MLA 1 $35,253,700 
        MLA 2 $21,893,300

        option ZNG ($653M): $54,722,100 for the period 2016-2017 broken down as follows:

        MLA 1 $33,439,900 
        MLA 2 $21,282,200

2.     Requests the Director-General:

        (7) National capacities strengthened and utilized for the development of policies and measures to promote the diversity of cultural expressions, in particular through the effective implementation of the 2005 Convention;

        (c revised) to report, in her statutory reports on the execution of the programme adopted by the General Conference, on measures taken to optimize the use of resources in the implementation of programme activities;