The Ministry of Culture participated in the First Culture Working Group (CWG) of the G20 under the Brazilian Presidency. The meeting took place online over two days on March 13 and 14, 2024 and was attended by the Ministry’s delegation led by Shatha Al Mulla, Acting Assistant Under-Secretary for the Heritage and Art Sector at the Ministry of Culture.

The G20 2024 process will see the UAE’s third consecutive participation as a stand-alone Guest Country at the G20. This invitation came from the Brazilian presidency, following invitations from the Indian Presidency in 2023 and the Indonesian Presidency in 2022. Prior to that, the UAE was invited by the Saudi and French Presidencies in its capacity as the Chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in 2020 and 2011, respectively.

The virtual meeting opened with welcome remarks by Brazil’s Culture Minister, HE Margareth Menezes. This was followed by plenary sessions on four priority areas: cultural diversity and social inclusion; culture, digital environment and copyright; creative economy and sustainable economic development; and preservation, safeguarding and promotion of cultural heritage and memory. The discussions took place under the overarching theme of ‘Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet’.

Some of the topics dealt with during the meeting included public policies and actions of preservation to ensure heritage protection and how G20 members and guest countries could stimulate exchanges, technical cooperation and partnerships, to preserve and safeguard cultural heritage.

In the meeting, the UAE delegates spoke extensively about the country’s efforts in the four priority areas and mentioned how the UAE has been steadfast in its commitment to culture as a source of development, nurturing innovation, creativity, and social cohesion. With more than 200 nationalities living in the country, cultural diversity and social inclusion are deeply ingrained in UAE society.

The UAE delegation also thanked the efforts of the Indian Presidency last year in developing the “Kashi Culture Pathway” outcome document which was the result of last year’s G20 CWG. The document summarized the consensus reached during the CWG’s Ministerial Meeting. Most notably, the UAE delegation referred to the outcome document’s mention of the impact of climate change on cultural and natural heritage, and reaffirmed the conviction that while culture and heritage are at risk because of climate change, elements such as tangible and intangible heritage, creativity, and Indigenous knowledge systems offer great potential for climate action.

The commitments made in the “Kashi Culture Pathway” served as a great tool in outlining the Emirates Declaration on Culture-Based Climate Action that was unanimously adopted during the High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on Culture-Based Climate Action that was hosted on December 8 2023 at COP28, Dubai.

The impact of digital technologies on culture and how culture stands to gain from it was a key theme during the meeting. Responsible development and use of AI within cultural contexts and how the UAE was leveraging technology to enhance cultural products was highlighted. The UAE delegates shared insights from the UAE’s AI strategy and shed light on some of the initiatives such as UAE’s National Programme for Coders that foster more equitable access to digital technology.

Copyrights and protection of Intellectual Property in the digital realm was discussed at length and the role of international collaborations to form frameworks to help ensure ethical use of technology was also stressed.

The UAE’s National Cultural and Creative Industries Strategy has been guiding the country’s efforts in building a robust creative economy. Investing consistently in enhancing its talent pool and building the right infrastructure to boost the creative industries is a national priority for the UAE. Safeguarding the rights of creatives and establishing metrics to determine the size of its creative economy are some of the areas that the UAE has been focusing on and will be discussing during the ensuing meetings with G20 members and guest countries.

The meeting also touched upon sustainability and the importance of strengthening the digital ecosystem. The UAE has embedded the sustainable development goals in its national policies and countrywide strategies.

Sustainability has been the foundation of the UAE’s development vision for more than five decades now and it will continue to guide the nation in the future too. The UAE views the creative and digital economies as playing a vital role in sustainability and has been working towards bolstering its digital ecosystem and establish digital equity. The country is focusing on establishing a business-friendly, equitable digital environment. The speakers shed light on the UAE’s digital landscape and how the country was harnessing digital tools for social, economic and cultural development.

The delegation spoke about the UAE’s initiatives in the field of heritage protection and preserving traditional practices. As a forward-focused nation deeply rooted in its heritage and traditions, the UAE has been driving the growth of a strong heritage sector by conserving its tangible and intangible heritage. It was highlighted how these efforts are not limited to the country but extend across the region as well as globally. Revive the Spirit of Mosul and the UAE’s partnership with ALIPH and the African World Heritage Fund are but a few examples of how the country is leading efforts in protecting the heritage of humanity.

The Ministry of Culture delegation will be participating in the meetings leading up to the G20 Culture Ministers Meeting later this year to decide on the action plan for the G20 priorities.

Last year, the Ministry of Culture delegation represented the UAE at various Culture Working Group engagements throughout the year, which culminated in the participation of His Excellency Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, in the G20 Culture Ministers Meeting held in the Indian city of Varanasi in August 2023. In his address, His Excellency emphasised the importance of continued collaboration among all parties to harness culture and creativity, as a means to address climate challenges and fostering south-south cooperation to build inclusion and sustainability.

The G20 Leaders’ Summit is scheduled to take place on November 18 and 19, 2024, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with attendance from leaders of the 19 member countries, plus the African Union and the European Union.