Subject: FW: draft Pact for the future
From: "Ottone, Ernesto" <[email-masked]>
To: "KUM min" <[email-masked]>
Cc: "Portales, Paz" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2024 18:46:05 +0300

Dear Minister,

Please find hereunder the draft of the Pact for the Future with minor but 
strategic amendments, which we believe are vitally important to return to 
the previous text that more adequately reflected the role of culture in the 
global agenda.

Pushed by some Members States today the draft includes sports in the 
paragraph on culture.

But if we are successful in achieving the amendments hereunder, this text 
will help us to move forward on the path that we have been building 
collectively with so much effort for more than 6 years to position culture 
as a priority on the global agenda and as a catalyst for an inclusive, more 
just, peaceful and sustainable development that we so very much need.

We think that sports should be introduced but cannot be glued to Culture.

I thank you in advance for your kind support with your Permanent Mission in 
New York.

Ernesto Ottone R.

Assistant Director-General for Culture

7, Place de Fontenoy, 75007 Paris

+33 (0)1 45 68 11 01

 <https://en.unesco.org/> unesco.org

SECOND READING WITH PROPOSALS BY UNESCO

Action 11. We will protect and promote culture and sport as an integral 
component of sustainable development.

27. We recognize that culture offers people and communities a strong sense 
of identity and fosters social cohesion and economic growth. and that sport 
can contribute to individuals’ and communities’ health and wellbeing. 
Culture and sport therefore have the potential to be important enablers of 
sustainable development.

We decide to:

(a) Ensure that culture and sport can contributes to more effective, 
inclusive, equitable and sustainable development, and integrate culture into 
economic, social and environmental development policies and strategies and 
ensure adequate public investment in the protection and promotion of 
culture, including as a central consideration to enhance implementation of 
the 2030 Agenda.

(b) Engage promptly and constructively in bilateral negotiations, engaging 
relevant stakeholders as required, on the return or restitution to countries 
of their cultural property of spiritual, historical and cultural value, and 
strengthen international cooperation on this issue.

(c) Promote intercultural and interreligious dialogue as well as sport to 
strengthen social cohesion and contribute to sustainable development.

Action 14. We will protect all civilians in armed conflict.

32. We condemn in the strongest terms the devastating impact of armed 
conflict on civilians, civilian infrastructure and cultural heritage, and we 
are particularly concerned about the disproportionate impact of violence on 
women, children, persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups in armed 
conflict. Genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes are prohibited 
under international law and we recommit to our obligations under 
international law, including international humanitarian law, international 
human rights law and international refugee law. We decide to:

(a) Take concrete and practical measures to protect all civilians in armed 
conflict, in particular people in vulnerable situations.

(b) Accelerate the implementation of our commitments under the children and 
armed conflict agenda.

(c) Refrain from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas when their 
use may be expected to cause harm to civilians or civilian objects, 
including essential civilian infrastructure, schools, cultural heritage, 
medical facilities and places of worship.

(d) Enable safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access and assistance, and 
full respect for the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, 
impartiality and independence. (e) Protect all humanitarian and medical 
personnel and all journalists and media professionals in armed conflict.

(f) Redouble our efforts to end impunity and ensure accountability for 
atrocity crimes and other gross violations, such as the use of starvation of 
civilians as a method of war and gender-based violence, including 
conflict-related sexual violence.

(g) Encourage a collective and voluntary agreement amongst the permanent 
members of the Security Council to refrain from the use of the veto when the 
Security Council intends to take action to prevent or halt genocide, crimes 
against humanity or war crimes.

Chapeau

3. Yet this is also a moment of hope and opportunity. Global transformation 
is a chance for renewal and progress grounded in our common humanity. 
Advances in knowledge, science, technology and innovation, if properly and 
equitable managed, and leveraging the power of culture as a driver for 
sustainable development (A/RES/78/161), could deliver a breakthrough to a 
better and more sustainable future for all.

14. We recognize that the well-being of current and future generations and 
the sustainability of our planet rests on our willingness to take action. We 
will review progress on the implementation of the actions in this Pact and 
its Annexes at the beginning of the eighty-third session through a meeting 
at the level of Heads of State and Government. In the area of sustainable 
development and financing for development, we will:

…

Action 11. Protect and promote culture and sport as an integral component of 
sustainable development