UNESCO Group of Experts’ meeting on the diversity of cultural expression online — May 27 to 30, 2024

In advance of the 20th anniversary of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, Canada and the Government of Quebec are proud to co-organize the inaugural meeting of the UNESCO Group of Experts on the diversity of cultural expression in the digital environment, in Quebec City, from May 27 to 30, 2024.

Over the past several months, Canada and the Government of Quebec have supported the creation of this international group of 18 independent experts within UNESCO, whose mandate is to provide recommendations to Parties who ratified the 2005 Convention.

During their meeting, the Group of Experts will study and make recommendations on 4 topics:

• the linguistic diversity of cultural content online
• the discoverability of local and national cultural content online
• the greater transparency of digital platforms
• the impact of artificial intelligence on cultural and creative industries

The work of the Group of Experts will culminate in a report with recommendations to be delivered to UNESCO’s Conference of Parties^{Footnote 1} in June 2025.

The Group of Expert’s meeting will be preceded and informed by a day of conferences on the theme of Promoting our cultures in the digital age – Conversations among cultural workers from here and abroad, which will address the same topics as the Group of Experts. The May 27 conferences, hosted by civil society panelists and organized by the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CDCE), and with the collaboration of the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (IFCCD), aims to raise awareness, advance international thinking, and inspire action on key digital issues facing the world's cultural sector. The Canadian Commission for UNESCO is also involved in the activity and will present an Indigenous cultural segment as part of the United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Languages

Canada’s role

Canada was the first State to ratify the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The Department of Canadian Heritage played a key role in its development and remains the lead department responsible for its implementation in Canada. The 153 signatory parties recognize the Convention's important role in promoting the diversity of cultural expressions in the digital age.

By focusing on priorities such as international cooperation for the fair exchange of cultural goods and services, Canada is shaping the future of the digital cultural landscape, including the discoverability of French-language content and the protection of the interests of the creative industries and artists from here and abroad.

Related links

• Canada and Quebec are co-organizing the first meeting of the UNESCO Group of Experts on the diversity of cultural expression in the digital environment
• 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
• Canada and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• Convention on cultural diversity is adopted at UNESCO General Conference (archived 2005 news release)