Culture In Security

Keynote presentation and discussion

This session will introduce Changing the Story, a UK Research and Innovation Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) programme, running in 12 countries, that has explored how arts and heritage-focussed civil society organisations and INGOs have worked with young people to allow young people themselves to drive change. The aim of GCRF was to bring together researchers and other relevant stakeholders to create a new space of innovation in international development programming, and to support capacity building by generating projects rooted in equitable partnerships between the Global North and South.

The session will provide a flavour of the work undertaken through Changing the Story with partner organisations of different sizes in a range of countries with very different experiences of conflict and of social development post conflict. It will point to the ways in which the programme has evidenced the value of the arts and heritage in supporting inter-generational peacebuilding, and how young people can take a leadership role in this endeavour. It will address some of the structural challenges that have been faced in doing this work and where the programme’s findings would suggest future action is needed if we are to have any chance of achieving the SDGs by 2030.

Paul Cooke, Director of the Centre for World Cinemas and Digital Cultures, University of Leeds 

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Keynote presentation and discussion

Cultural rights are at the heart of the contemporary debates, and the human dimension of security makes it possible to bring cultural policies back in, as a territory of contestation. In this session, the speaker suggests that humanity is facing a global cross-regional political crisis, marked by increasing polarization, a turn to extremes, questioning of equality and dignity and universality and diversity by some, closing of minds and borders, and a normalization of hatred.

The keynote will question our broad notions of cultural rights and will ask if we are consistent with the values that lead to the protection of human rights, we must then find the most productive means for working with all cultures to help us find solutions, develop languages with which to speak to each other in all our diversities, construct and preserve frameworks in which we can hear each other, and find creative ways to popularize notions of mutual respect and shared humanity. 

Karima Bennoune, Lewis M. Simes Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School 

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• Dr. Hans J. Giessmann, Director Emeritus, Berghof Foundation; Associate Professor, University of Hamburg, Germany
• Maura Ajak, Freelance Journalist, South Sudan
• Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR Myanmar) with Mariana Cifuentes, Consultant, British Council

This panel brings together scholars and practitioners to address the central role played by culture in achieving peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development (SDG 16). Exploring the significance of the cultural sector and the value of international cultural relations as an approach, the conversation will consider how culture can provide a more holistic means to peace and security.

Through discussion of research, policy, and practice, the panelists will also share their recommendations for how to progress towards realizing SDG 16, including achieving inclusive societies, access to justice and information, and strong institutions.

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Presentation of case studies and discussion

• Enabling University Peace Education (EUPE): supporting universities in conflict zones as key pillars of peacebuilding (Sudan and Ethiopia)
  • Hala Salih Mohammed Nur (PhD), Regional Team Leader for EUPE in Regional Conflict/Post-conflict Setting, British Council Sudan, Sudan
  • Dr. Lynne Heslop, Senior Technical Adviser on EUPE project, UK
• Theatre - a thread binding heart to heart
  • Dr. Nirmala KC, President, Pro Public, Nepal
• Who tells the Story? A filmmaking laboratory to understand community representation.
  • Nicolás Cuéllar, Director, Historias en Kilometros, Colombia
• Heritage Emergency Response Initiative, Ukraine
  • Vasyl Rozhko, Co-coordinator, HERI, Ukraine
• Citizens’ Charter
  • Ghada Rifai, Co-Founder, Mobaderoon, Syria

The purpose of this session is to provide case studies of ICR programmes and projects cantered on peace and security in practice from a range of sectors from education to theatre and cinema.

The session will examine their contributions to SDG 16 in different global contexts and answer questions relating to how ICR might be employed to engage young people in conflict-affected settings, in tackling structural societal and ethnic conflicts, in raising international awareness or in building trust and understanding in communities. 

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• Dr. Nilanjana Premaratna, Lecturer in International Politics, Newcastle University, UK
• Erwin Maas, Co-Executive Director Pan-African Creative Exchange (PACE), USA
• Onur Eryüce, Counsellor to the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, Turkey; Secretary-General, Association of Social Democratic Municipalities (SODEM)
• Arundhati Ghosh, Executive Director, India Foundation for the Arts, India 

This panel brings together voices, from practice, policy, and academia, to discuss how cultural relations contributes to the development of inclusive, multi-level partnerships and cooperation to realize the SDGs, in particular SDG 16 (peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development).

It will highlight the relevance of the arts and cultural sector and international cultural relations in crafting approaches to peace and security based on partnerships and cooperation bringing different stakeholders together – governments, civil society, scientists, academia and the private sector - to achieve the SDGs and ensure no one gets left behind.

We hope this discussion will provide actionable recommendations for UNESCO on how international cultural relations can more actively contribute to SDG16 and promote a more holistic understanding of peace and security.

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