---
title: "TOWARDS A CULTURE GOAL: WORLD CITIES CULTURE FORUM SUPPORTS UNESCO’S BRAGA MANIFESTO "
date: 2024-09-19T16:13:41Z
modified: 2024-09-19T16:14:03Z
permalink: "https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/2024/09/19/towards-a-culture-goal-world-cities-culture-forum-supports-unescos-braga-manifesto/"
type: post
status: publish
excerpt: "The 16th annual conference of the UNESCO Creative Cities, held in Braga from 1-5 July 2024, saw the launch and endorsement of the UNESCO Creative Cities Braga Manifesto: A Culture Goal for Sustainable Development. The manifesto sets out a shared vision for culture to be a standalone Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in the post-2030 agenda and calls for the integration of culture across a broad range of policy areas, from climate action to AI. "
wpid: 173236
categories:
  - Uncategorized
tags:
  - UN Sustainability Goals
topic:
  - Climate
  - Global Advocacy
  - Leadership
  - Network
featured_image: "https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/JustineS_ErnestoOR_RicardoR_Braga_UCCN_July24_2.jpg"
---

## Justine Simons OBE, Founder and Chair of World Cities Culture Forum, participated in the 16th UNESCO Creative Cities Annual Conference 2024 in Braga, Portugal, where UNESCO launched their landmark Manifesto. 



![](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/JustineS_ErnestoOR_RicardoR_Braga_UCCN_July24_2-1024x682.jpg)

Justine Simons OBE, Founder and Chair of World Cities Culture Forum and London Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries (centre), pictured alongside UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, Ernesto Ottone Ramírez (right) and Mayor of Braga, Ricardo Rio (left).The 16th annual conference of the UNESCO Creative Cities, held in Braga from 1-5 July 2024, saw the launch and endorsement of the [**UNESCO Creative Cities Braga Manifesto: A Culture Goal for Sustainable Development**](https://www.cm-braga.pt/archive/doc/Final_Braga_Manifesto_1_.pdf). The manifesto sets out a shared vision for culture to be a standalone Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in the post-2030 agenda and calls for the integration of culture across a broad range of policy areas, from climate action to AI.

![](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Justine_Panel_Braga_UCCN_July24-683x1024.jpg)

World Cities Culture Forum Founder and Chair Justine Simons OBE attended the conference and participated in a high-level session on the value of a dedicated culture goal alongside Ricardo Rio, the Mayor of Braga; Ernesto Ottone Ramírez, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture; Kazumi Ogawa from UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme); Jordi Pascual from United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG); and Lindsey Ricker from World Economic Forum (WEF).

The discussion focused on strategies to more effectively integrate culture into sustainable urban development, culminating in the endorsement of the [**Braga Manifesto**](https://www.cm-braga.pt/archive/doc/Final_Braga_Manifesto_1_.pdf) and advocating for culture to be recognised as a UN Sustainable Development Goal post-2030.

Justine Simons highlighted how culture can uplift communities facing a diverse range of challenges, including economic, social and environmental issues, and set out the key reasons that a dedicated goal for culture can help sustain global development. Establishing culture as a human right and a powerful tool for common good, we believe we can harness its potential to create inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable communities.

![](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/1-8.jpg)

Last October at the World Cities Culture Summit 2023 in São Paulo, World Cities Culture Forum launched its [**São Paulo Manifesto: A Goal for Culture**](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/WCCF_SAO-PAULO-MANIFESTO_DIGITAL.pdf) signed by 21 cities. In signing the São Paulo Manifesto, cities advocated for leveraging culture as a golden thread that supports communities, improves health and education, reduces inequality, and drives both economic growth and peace and prosperity.

In line with UNESCO’s efforts to recognise culture as a standalone goal, World Cities Culture Forum fully supports the [**Braga Manifesto**](https://www.cm-braga.pt/archive/doc/Final_Braga_Manifesto_1_.pdf) and agrees that, by enhancing international cooperation at city and local levels, we can transform people, place and planet.

We call on the United Nations’ [**Pact for the Future**](https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/sotf-pact-for-the-future-rev.3.pdf) to recognise culture as powerful tool for common good. 
 
 
Read the World Cities Culture Forum [**São Paulo Manifesto**](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/WCCF_SAO-PAULO-MANIFESTO_DIGITAL.pdf).

Read the UNESCO [**Braga Manifesto**](https://www.cm-braga.pt/archive/doc/Final_Braga_Manifesto_1_.pdf)**.**