Malta Pushes Forward The Concept Of Cultural Rights at UNESCO Meeting In Barcelona

Malta has pushed forward the concept of cultural rights at MONDIACULT 2025 in Barcelona, the world’s largest UNESCO cultural policy gathering, which brought together thousands of delegates from across all continents.

Represented by Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government, Owen Bonnici, Malta highlighted its ongoing efforts to ensure that cultural rights are embedded in everyday life. Among the initiatives mentioned were legislative reforms to safeguard artistic freedom of expression and the introduction of the National Charter for the Status of the Artist, designed to guarantee fair living conditions for artists.

Dr Bonnici also underscored measures to widen access to culture, including the Heritage Malta Passport scheme, which provides free entry to museums and educational programmes for students, teachers and the elderly. He stressed that inclusion is central to Malta’s cultural policy, noting the creation of dedicated funds for inclusive cultural projects, as well as the promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity, such as supporting translation and the use of Maltese Sign Language in digital spaces.

Highlighting culture as a vehicle for international cooperation, Dr Bonnici stated that cultural rights should not remain abstract concepts but must be translated into practical realities. He described this as the “democratisation of culture”, aimed at ensuring equal access and participation for all communities.

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