Culture and arts education gets boost from UNESCO’s latest framework

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Today, the member states of UNESCO unanimously agreed to implement a new global strategy aimed at enhancing culture and arts education. This strategy includes prioritizing culture and arts in teacher education, focusing more on local and indigenous cultures in educational settings, and acknowledging artistic and cultural competencies in the professional realm more effectively. To put this strategy into practice, UNESCO, in partnership with the United Arab Emirates, launched a significant new initiative.

As a UNESCO study highlighted last year, arts education helps students develop emotional intelligence, creativity and critical thinking. It improves their well-being and academic results. Artistic education also promotes openness to others and respect for diversity within society at large. I thank our Member States for this new global agreement which will make culture and arts a greater priority in education, while taking into account the use of digital technology.

During the World Conference on Culture and Arts Education, held in Abu Dhabi from February 13 to 15 and co-hosted by UNESCO and the UAE, nearly 1,000 participants from various sectors—such as government, academia, and non-governmental organizations—came together. This assembly included 90 ministers and 125 representatives from UNESCO member countries, all dedicated to advancing culture and arts education.

The newly established UNESCO Framework emphasizes the importance of integrating culture and arts education across all levels and forms of learning, advocating for these subjects to be central to educational policies, strategies, and programs. It expands the definition of “culture” to include tangible, intangible, and digital expressions of heritage and creativity. The Framework also highlights the role of digital technology in fostering intercultural understanding and linguistic diversity.

Furthermore, the Framework acknowledges the critical role of learning in diverse cultural contexts in bridging divides and promoting mutual respect. It advocates for a stronger focus on indigenous and local cultures and calls for enhanced collaboration between educational and cultural institutions. This includes forming partnerships with cultural landmarks, such as those recognized by UNESCO’s World Heritage and Intangible Heritage lists, to enrich educational experiences.

This Framework builds upon previous initiatives and reflects two years of comprehensive discussions, consultations, and negotiations with UNESCO’s Member States, continuing the legacy of significant declarations and agendas focused on culture and arts education.

I would like to commend the important announcement made by Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates for the coming years. It will give us the strength needed to translate this Framework into action, supporting the countries that need it most, and especially supporting Africa as a global priority of UNESCO.

To facilitate the implementation of this Framework, UNESCO has formed a strategic partnership with the UAE. This collaboration aims to convert the Framework’s recommendations into concrete public policies through the exchange of experiences, innovative reforms, and best practices among Member States. The partnership introduces a pioneering initiative that offers grants and international mobility programs for educators, alongside capacity-building efforts for African Member States, including expert visits, knowledge sharing, and vocational training. This initiative is structured around three core components: providing grants for exemplary arts education practices, supporting teacher engagement through international grants, and bolstering African states with expert guidance and vocational education programs.

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