The 2024 G7 Culture meeting, which took place over three days, concluded in Naples on Saturday. During the event, ministers committed to protecting freedom of expression and assisting Ukraine in repairing the damage to its cultural heritage caused by the Russian invasion. The G7 Culture declaration highlighted different areas on which the countries need to focus.
In the final G7 Culture declaration, the ministers stated, “We will promote and protect freedom of expression, including the freedom of artists and journalists to create and express their opinions without interference, as well as the plurality, independence, and sustainability of the media.” They added, “To enable culture to thrive in our societies, we will promote respect for dissenting opinions in democratic debate, countering any attempts to censor, marginalise, or erase cultural opinions and expressions.”
The full G7 Culture declaration can be read here
Condemnation of Russia’s attack on Ukraine
The ministers condemned Russia’s large-scale aggression against Ukraine, which has led to the widespread destruction of historical sites and cultural institutions, including museums, theatres, libraries, archives, churches, and places of worship. These acts, they said, pose a threat to Ukraine’s cultural identity. “We are united in defending and promoting the resilience and regeneration of Ukrainian culture and cultural heritage, both material and immaterial,” the statement continued.
Italy’s Culture Minister, Alessandro Giuli, highlighted the importance of this commitment to supporting Kyiv. “Full agreement on supporting Ukrainian culture is important,” Giuli said during a press conference. “There was unanimous agreement on this initiative. There is international support for reconstruction, and we will work together with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani for the 2025 International Conference on Ukraine’s Reconstruction.”
Giuli also acknowledged the work of his predecessor, Gennaro Sangiuliano, in organising the Culture G7, despite his recent resignation following a scandal involving a would-be advisor with whom he admitted having an affair.
UNESCO welcomes G7 Culture Declaration
In an article on their site, UNESCO said it welcomed the declaration which showed the further integration of culture into social and economic policies.
It also added that the initiative aligns with UNESCO’s comprehensive programmes and highlights culture as a key driver of sustainable development. Italy’s leadership in presiding over the meeting underscores UNESCO’s role as a vital multilateral partner, continuing its contributions since the 2017 G7 Ministerial and G20 Presidencies.
“The adoption of the G7 Declaration is a clear commitment to culture by the world leaders. Cultural rights must be protected, asserted, and promoted at the highest level of policy and decision-making. Together with partners, UNESCO is accelerating its efforts to establish culture as a stand-alone goal in the post-2030 Development Agenda.” Ernesto Ottone R., Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO.
Warning of AI impact on cultural sector
Another subject discussed at the summit was the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the cultural sphere. Alongside the opportunities, the summit highlighted significant risks posed by AI.
AI is “increasingly permeating the value chains in the cultural and creative sectors and industries, with impacts on the working conditions and the livelihoods of culture professionals and the sustainability of a vibrant and vital cultural ecosystem,” said the declaration.
The leaders agreed to work together to address the ethical, legal, economic, and social implications of Generative AI and AI-powered tools for the cultural and creative industries.
The leaders also called on “identification and authentication, where technically feasible, of cultural content entirely or partially generated, modified or altered by AI systems.”
