The UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD) is a global initiative established to support projects that promote cultural diversity, enhance dialogue between cultures, and strengthen the role of culture in sustainable development. Launched in 2005 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the IFCD aims to safeguard and promote cultural expressions worldwide, particularly in developing countries.
The IFCD operates as a multi-donor fund, with contributions from governments, private sector entities, and other stakeholders committed to advancing cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue. The fund provides financial support to a wide range of cultural projects, initiatives, and activities that contribute to the objectives of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, adopted in 2005.
Projects supported by the IFCD cover various areas of cultural and creative industries, including the performing arts, visual arts, literature, film, music, heritage preservation, cultural entrepreneurship, and cultural policy development. These projects may focus on capacity-building, cultural infrastructure development, cultural exchange and cooperation, digital innovation, and the empowerment of marginalized or underrepresented cultural communities.
The IFCD prioritizes projects that demonstrate innovation, sustainability, inclusivity, and potential for long-term impact. It seeks to support initiatives that foster creativity, cultural innovation, and entrepreneurship, as well as those that promote the participation of women, youth, indigenous peoples, and other marginalized groups in cultural life and decision-making processes.
Through its support for cultural diversity and creativity, the IFCD contributes to achieving a range of sustainable development goals, including poverty alleviation, social inclusion, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. By investing in cultural projects and initiatives, the fund helps to preserve and promote cultural heritage, strengthen social cohesion, and build resilient and inclusive societies.
The UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity plays a crucial role in advancing UNESCO’s mandate to protect and promote cultural diversity as a driver of sustainable development and peace. By supporting cultural projects around the world, the IFCD helps to ensure that cultural expressions thrive, flourish, and contribute to the richness and diversity of human experience.
UNESCO is launching the fifteenth call for applications to the International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD). Through an open and competitive process, projects will be selected based on their ability to generate concrete and lasting results towards the development of the creative sectors in developing countries that are Parties to the 2005 Convention.
Project proposals should contribute to:
- The implementation and/or elaboration of policies and measures that have a direct, structural impact on the creation, production, distribution and access to a diversity of cultural goods and services;
- The strengthening of capacities in public institutions and civil society organizations to support viable local and regional cultural industries and markets.
Eligibility Criteria For The UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity
Eligible projects
The IFCD invests in projects that lead to structural change through:
- The introduction and/or elaboration of policies and mesures that have a direct effect on the creation, production, distribution of and access to a diversity of cultural expressions, including cultural goods, services and activities;
- The reinforcement of human and institutional capacities of public sector and civil society organizations, deemed necessary to support viable local and regional cultural industries and markets in developing countries.
Who can Apply For The UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity
- Public authorities and institutions from eligible countries (developing countries, Parties to the 2005 Convention).
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from eligible countries (developing countries, Parties to the 2005 Convention)
- International non-governmental organizations (INGOs) registered in countries Parties to the 2005 Convention
Funding amount
Maximum 100,000 USD
Implementation period
Minimum 12 months – maximum 24 months
Application Deadline: 14 June 2024.
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