The UNESCO Pau Casals Chair to host a cultural rights event as a side activity to Mondiacult 2025
The UNESCO Pau Casals Chair, a joint initiative of the Pau Casals Foundation and the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), will take an active part in Mondiacult 2025, the leading global conference on cultural policy promoted by UNESCO, to be held in Barcelona from 29 September to 1 October 2025. The Gabeiras Foundation, an organization focused on promoting cultural rights, will also participate.
As a side event to the official programme, both entities will co-host the “Mondiacult 2025 Side Event on Cultural Rights”, which will take place on 26 September at the Centre for Cultural Studies and Resources (CERC), Diputació de Barcelona. The event, free with prior registration, will provide a forum for reflection, dialogue and debate on the protection of cultural rights and artists in conflict and war contexts, and on the recognition of culture as an essential good.
Artists at risk and cultural rights in times of conflict
The event will feature a keynote by Laurence Cuny, a human rights lawyer and expert in artistic freedom, who will present her research:
“The evolution of international protection mechanisms for musicians at risk. A historical perspective exploring the legacy of Pau Casals”, the winning project of the Chair’s first research grant.
This will be followed by a roundtable with representatives from the Catalan Association for Peace and PEN Club, who will share solidarity initiatives supporting artists displaced by war and conflict, and discuss strategies for support and protection. The directors of the UNESCO Pau Casals Chair will also contribute with institutional and strategic insights.
Culture as an essential good
The Gabeiras Foundation will present the findings of its multidisciplinary working group on “culture as an essential good”, launched in 2023. The goal is to drive a legislative transformation that recognizes culture as a fundamental and universal right, ensuring access for all.
The discussion will delve into different understandings and nuances of the concept of “culture as an essential good”, its legal and social implications, and its relevance for future public cultural policies. The session will also include contributions from key voices in the Latin American cultural sector, reinforcing the international dimension of the debate.
📍 Date: 26 September 2025 from 5PM
📍 Venue: Centre for Cultural Studies and Resources (CERC), Diputació de Barcelona
✅ Free entry with prior registration
🔗 Check the full programme and register here
