Wide angle: Culture, a global public good: 1982-2022: cultural policies at the heart of international debate

In September 2022, Mexico will once again host the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies (MONDIACULT), forty years after the first conference in Mexico City in 1982. The discussions that have taken place over the past four decades have been particularly fruitful and have considerably changed the definition of culture, opening the way for the recognition of living heritage and the diversity of cultural expression. Beyond the profound impact of the health crisis on the cultural sector, the sector risks being threatened by new persistent challenges, from the effects of climate change on heritage to changes in the status of artists and the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural goods. These topics – and many others – will be centre-stage at the 2022 edition of MONDIACULT, which will also be an opportunity to reaffirm the place of culture as a global public good. This issue of the Courier explores the key role played by culture as a vector for resilience, inclusion and sustainability.