(MENAFN- Mid-East Info) The UAE, represented by the Ministry of Culture, participated in the fourth G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) Ministerial Meeting, which took place recently in Zimbali, KwaDukuza in the Republic of South Africa. The key objective of the meeting was to reinforce cultural collaboration among member states and underscore the significance of culture as a strategic driver for sustainable development.

H.E. Al Qassimi led the UAE delegation during the meeting, which witnessed the adoption of the KwaDukuza Declaration of the G20 Ministers of Culture, with the participation of culture ministers and senior representatives from G20 member states, and guest nations, in addition to international organisations such as UNESCO, WIPO, ICOM, ICOMOS, AWHF, and INTERPOL.

During the meeting, H.E. Al Qassimi emphasised that culture is a driver for sustainable development, fostering solidarity and resilience. He also noted the importance of amplifying culture's contribution to the global economy, and protecting all actors in the creative ecosystem.

H.E. Al Qassimi further reaffirmed the fundamental role of Culture in global policy, highlighting that the Declaration of the G20 Ministers of Culture will position culture as a dynamic catalyst for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and beyond.“This includes reinforcing international cooperation in culture-based climate action, the creative economy, and in safeguarding heritage worldwide,” H.E. explained.

On the sidelines of the meeting, H.E. Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, also held meetings with several high-level cultural figures to explore avenues of cultural cooperation and joint initiatives, including Brazil's Minister of Culture, H.E. Margareth Menezes; Angola's Minister of Culture, H.E. Filipe Silvino de Pina Zau; and Norway's Minister of Culture and Equality, H.E. Lubna Jaffery.

The UAE's participation in this meeting reaffirms its commitment to enhancing its active role in international cultural platforms, recognising culture as a powerful catalyst for sustainable development and a pivotal contributor to addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It also reflects the UAE's leadership in cultural and creative economy and climate action, in line with its national strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and leverage culture as a key enabler of climate-action objectives.

The ministers' declaration underscores the vital intersection of culture and climate change, emphasizing the protection of cultural heritage and the preservation of Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' knowledge systems amid climate challenges. It recognizes culture's significant role in climate mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity conservation through safeguarding tangible and intangible heritage and promoting resilient cultural and creative sectors.

The declaration highlights the UAE's leadership, particularly through the adoption of the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience at COP28, which sets a target for protecting cultural heritage from climate-related risks. The UAE-Belém Work Programme on indicators and the establishment of the Group of Friends of Culture-Based Climate Action (GFCBCA) further demonstrate the UAE's commitment to advancing culture-based climate strategies. The declaration calls for enhanced cooperation on knowledge building, refinement of cultural heritage protection indicators, and inclusion of non-economic losses in climate action, reinforcing the UAE's pivotal role in integrating culture into global climate resilience efforts.

This marks the UAE's fourth consecutive participation in the G20 Culture Working Group, following its involvement in 2022, 2023, and 2024, in addition to its previous participation in 2011 and 2020.

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