Program Director and Chairperson of the Culture Working Group: Ms Lisa Combrinck
Members of the G20 Culture Working Group Troika
African Union Director for Culture: Dr Angela Martins
Our Lead Knowledge Partner, UNESCO Acting DG: Mr Ernesto Ottone
Distinguished G20 Members and
Invited Guests Countries
International Organisation present here
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a great please for me to welcome you all to the G20 2025 under the South Africa Presidency, but also more specifically to the 1st Culture Working Group (CWG).
Dear distinguished delegates of G20, as we meet here today for the 1st meeting of the CWG, South Africa renew its commitment and desire to place culture at the centre of just and sustainable world, free of all forms of injustices.
The inclusion of Culture as one of the working Groups is a clear indication and acknowledgement of centrality of culture to achieve development goals as set out in the SDG and in the Africa Agenda 2063.
In line with the South Africa Presidency theme: Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability, the Culture Working Group (CWG) will advance four priorities, which are (1) Safeguarding and Restitution of Cultural Heritage to protect Human Rights, (2) Integrating Cultural Policies in socio-economic strategies to ensure an Inclusive, Rights-based Development, (3) Harnessing Digital Technologies for the Protection and Promotion of Culture and Sustainable Economies, (4) The Intersection of Culture and Climate Change: Shaping Global Responses.
Culture has the potential to become one of the strongest contributors to the economy, to social cohesion and to poverty alleviation as well a soft diplomatic tool used to promote peaceful relations and non-use of force to resolve challenges within and between nations.
South Africa is developing a Cultural Diplomacy Policy Framework. This framework is grounded on the country foreign policy principles of Ubuntu, International Law as well as the African Union Charter for African Cultural Renaissance which recognises the important role that culture plays in mobilising and unifying people around common ideals and promoting culture to build the ideals of Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance.
We further note that the global economy remains resilient with good prospects of a soft landing, and ours as Culture Working Group is to ensure that culture and the creative sector provide that landing pad.
As South Africa we commit to enhancing additional tools and mechanisms to fight inequalities, such as scaling up development cooperation, including North-South, South-South, and Trilateral cooperation
All people, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status, should have access to essential services to meet their basic needs, to decent work and to other social and economic opportunities that ensure their full, equal, effective and meaningful participation in society.
As a Country we Strive to promote the cultural, social, economic inclusion and empowerment of all, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies, and action, on combating racism and promoting ethnic and racial equality.
Program Director, we are committed to strengthening our ties with African countries and support the African Union realize the trade and economic integration and aspirations under its Agenda 2063 as it enters its second decade of implementation.
There is a ground swell of opinion and activity led by the global South on the return of cultural property especially those from the South to the North. Each culture has a dignity and value, which must be respected and preserved, every people have the right and the duty to develop its culture and in their rich variety and diversity,
South Africa is not pleased with the disparity as it relates to content development and remuneration of such content particularly for developers from less represented communities.
The reluctance when it comes to concrete steps to return unethically and illicitly trafficked cultural items. This issue cannot continue to be on the periphery of multilateral dialogue. Repatriation and restitution of illicit trafficked artifacts would be a positive step towards a just and equal society at the same time restoring the dignity and identity of the victims of this looting.
I’m positive that this gathering would bare much anticipated concrete outcome.
Wishing you all the best in your deliberations and looking forward in welcoming you all to South Africa for the second G20 CWG Meeting in May 2025
Thank You,
#GovZAUpdates #G20SouthAfrica
