Saudi Gazette report

MADRID — Saudi Arabia has been selected to host the next UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (Mondiacult) in 2029, UNESCO announced during the current session in Spain.

Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan welcomed the decision, affirming the Kingdom’s strong partnership with UNESCO and its commitment to advancing cultural development efforts.

Mondiacult is a global forum aimed at strengthening dialogue on culture and supporting cultural policy-making.

First held in Mexico in 1982, the conference was revived in 2022 with Saudi Arabia supporting Mexico’s hosting and leading the regional consultations for the Arab world.

Hosting Mondiacult 2029 is expected to deliver significant benefits for the Kingdom, including fostering cultural innovation and creativity, and shaping future cultural policies.

It continues Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to emphasize culture’s role in development, highlighted by the Kingdom’s leadership in organizing the first-ever G20 culture ministers’ meeting in 2020, which established the cultural track within the G20 agenda.