INTERNATIONAL DAY

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

21.05

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We celebrate World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on May 21.

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CULTURAL DIVERSITY FOR PEACE

Photo credit, from top to bottom: Simon Sun, Doug Swinson, Bernardo Ramonfaur.

Held every year on 21 May, the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development celebrates not only the richness of the world’s cultures but also the essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development.

The United Nations General Assembly first declared this World Day in 2002, following UNESCO’s adoption of the 2001 Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, recognizing the need to “enhance the potential of culture as a means of achieving prosperity, sustainable development and global peaceful coexistence.”

With the adoption in September 2015 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by the United Nations and the Resolution A/C.2/70/L.59 on Culture and Sustainable Development adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2015, the message of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is more important than ever. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals can best be achieved by drawing upon the creative potential of the world’s diverse cultures and engaging in continuous dialogue to ensure that all members of society benefit from sustainable development.

The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is an occasion to promote culture and highlight the significance of its diversity as an agent of inclusion and positive change. It represents an opportunity to celebrate culture’s manifold forms, from the tangible and intangible, to creative industries, to the diversity of cultural expressions, and to reflect on how these contribute to the dialogue, mutual understanding, and the social, environmental and economic vectors of sustainable development. All are invited to join in, and promote the values of cultural diversity, dialogue and development across our globe.

A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

“On 21 May, the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, UNESCO encourages people around the world to join us in celebrating cultural diversity and advocating for ways to protect and promote it in their own communities. In this way, all will be included and no one will be left behind.”

— Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

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How to get involved

International days are celebrations and calls to action. They are for everyone to participate in. This is how you can take part in an International Day in three simple steps.

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Why are International Days important? They provide unique opportunities to transmit UNESCO values to the world.

INTERNATIONAL DAYS

International days also provide a unique opportunity to engage citizens on global issues, to mobilise political will and resources to address these problems, but also to celebrate and reinforce the achievements of humanity as well as remember some of our darkest times as they guide us towards building a better world.

The United Nations International Days are for everyone, all around the globe. Because they are open, you can have an important role to play in them. NGOs, universities, schools, press and more will be putting together campaigns, events, and calls to action worldwide to provide further opportunities to engage, learn, and transmit the values and knowledge associated with each International Day. They serve as an important vehicle to connect the local to the international.

At their root, UN International Days contribute to the achievement of the purposes of the UN Charter and promote awareness of and action on important political, social, cultural, humanitarian or human rights issues. International days are at the heart of the United Nations Charter. They work to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as neighbours, and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security.

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