Baku hosts Second High-Level Meeting of Culture Ministers on Culture-Based Climate Action

The 29th session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29),is underway in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

The Second High-Level Meeting of Culture Ministers on Culture-Based Climate Action, organized by the Ministries of Culture of the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, and Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli emphasized the significance of the event during his speech.

ICESCO Director-General Salim bin Mohammed Al-Malik said that the impact of climate change on culture is increasingly growing.

"We will strive to protect our cultural heritage for our future," ICESCO Director-General said.

ICCROM Director-General Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral expressed regret over the lack of sustainable solutions to the climate crisis. She stated that in achieving fundamental progress in this area, people must also protect the culture.

Chief of the Executive of the Culture Sector at UNESCO Dorine Dubois mentioned that today numerous cultural heritage examples are on the brink of destruction due to climate change. To prevent this, various strategies must be implemented.

Chairman of the Azerbaijan State Tourism Agency Fuad Nagiyev spoke about the efforts made by the agency to protect cultural heritage sites in the country.

"It is crucial to pass on our cultural heritage to future generations. Joint efforts must be made to achieve progress in this area. I believe that by caring for the culture sector, we can leave a greener world for future generations," he said.

UNESCO's Goodwill Ambassador and President of the Petra National Trust, Princess Dana Firas of Jordan, said that integrating cultural heritage with climate change issues has become a necessity.

"Successful events were held on this matter during last year's COP28. I hope that significant steps will be taken in this field during this session," said HRH Princess Dana Firas.

Prince Rahim Aga Khan, chairman of Aga Khan Development Network's (AKDN) Climate and Environment Committee spoke about the organization's work in protecting cultural heritage. He noted that it is possible to contribute to the preservation of historical and cultural heritage by also protecting the environment.

President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoty Raimkulova pointed out that climate change affects many areas, including culture. She warned that due to the impact of global warming, floods and storms are occurring around the world, putting historical monuments at risk of destruction.

Following this, a message from UAE's Minister of Climate Change and Environment Amna bint Abdullah Al-Dahakwas presented to the participants. A video showcasing the cultural agenda of COP29 was then shown. The meeting continued with presentations.

The Culture Minister Adil Karimli outlined that work Azerbaijan is doing in the field of green energy is highly appreciated by the international community.

"We expect effective results from today's ministers' meeting. Our activities overlap with those of UNESCO, ICESCO, and other organizations. We recognize culture as an important tool and value its role in environmental protection. The document we will adopt at the end of this meeting will not only be the basis for our future cooperation but will also lay the foundation for positive climate action," Adil Karimli said.

Speaking about the Friends Group for Culture-Based Climate Action (GFCBCA), the UAE Minister of Culture Salem bin Khalid Al-Qassimi expressed his satisfaction with the increase in the number of members of the group.

He said that this would provide a stronger inter-sectoral voice.

"In this meeting, we will highlight the cultural dimension of climate change action. Culture and climate change are interconnected. I believe that more investment should be made in research in this area. We invite all parties to inter-ministerial cooperation," the minister said.

Later, a video message from the Culture Minister of the Federative Republic of Brazil Margaret Menezes was heard on this topic.

Turkiye's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, expressed hope that the meeting held within the framework of COP29 would meet public expectations.

"Climate change is also a threat to our culture. There is much work to be done in this area. Turkey is taking several steps in this field. We support Azerbaijan's initiative at COP29 and are always ready for mutual cooperation," Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said.

Uzbekistan's Minister of Culture and Tourism Ozodbek Nazarbekov remarked that they encounter the consequences of climate change at every step. He said that cultural heritage is not exempt from these effects, which is why environmental issues must be approached with great sensitivity.

Ozodbek Nazarbekov expressed his satisfaction with participating in such an event during a prestigious session like COP29 and thanked the Azerbaijani side for the high-level organization of the event.

Pakistan's Minister of National Heritage and Culture, Ataullah Tarar, spoke about the damages his country has suffered due to climate change. He mentioned that Pakistan experienced one of the world's largest floods in 2022.

"As a result of this disaster, we were faced with the risk of losing our cultural heritage in certain areas. I hope that with the achievements we obtain today in Baku, we will successfully continue our efforts in this field in the future," said Ataullah Tarar.

Greece's Culture Minister Styliani Mendoni expressed her gratitude to Azerbaijan for its hospitality. She emphasized that various measures must be taken to mitigate the effects of climate change.

"We need to develop risk maps for this area. The Friends Group for Culture-Based Climate Action should take tangible steps to fill the gaps in this regard. This group has organized international seminars in many countries in recent years. I believe that today's event will also play a significant role in solving the issues in this field," said Styliani Mendoni.

Other representatives who spoke shared their thoughts on the topic. The speakers particularly highlighted the strong role of culture in climate policy.

After the speeches, the final document of the Second High-Level Meeting of Culture Ministers on Culture-Based Climate Action was adopted.

In his concluding remarks, chief negotiator of COP29 and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yalchin Rafiyev emphasized that culture plays a significant role in climate action.

In his speech, he stressed that the adopted document specifically emphasizes the importance of culture-based climate actions.

At the end of the meeting, participants took a commemorative photo together.