Better physical places through smarter digital spaces: Day 0 of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

It’s begun! The UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development is the first in a series of five, focusing both on delivering the 2030 Agenda at the regional level, and preparing for 2018’s High Level Political Forum.   It’s an opportunity for the key people involved in coordinating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from governments across […]

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Copyright’s threat to freedom of expressions: IFLA submits recommendations to UN special Rapporteur

The way people produce and access information has changed in the last decades. Internet platforms, for instance, make it possible for content – especially from new voices – to reach wide audiences. While some of the content shared might represent straightforward infringement,  a big part of it consists of original, user generated content. Libraries, as […]

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The UN General Assembly Resolution on Culture and Sustainable Development: What’s Changed?

In the first part of this two-part series looking at the UN General Assembly’s Resolution on Culture and Sustainable Development, passed on 19 December, we looked at key overall takeaways from the text that could help libraries and others in our efforts to get culture recognised fully recognised and integrated into planning.

The second part looks back to the previous such Resolution, from 2021, in order to get a clearer idea of what has changed between the two. While many elements are simply copy and pasted from one text to the next, each revision does offer an opportunity to reflect new thinking and approaches. Through this, we can get an idea of how the discourse on culture is evolving over time.

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UNESCO Global MIL Week 2023 poster

Global MIL Week 2023: Meaningful cooperation is essential for success in digital spaces

For Global MIL Week 2023, we consider how the forthcoming UNESCO Guidelines for Regulating Digital Platforms could be made operational, how we could ensure multistakeholder participation, and how to grow recognition of the role that libraries play in building healthier information ecosystems.

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A First Look at Results from IFLA’s Climate Survey – Add your input!

IFLA’s climate empowerment surveys have received several hundred responses from libraries and dozens of responses from library associations. Early results show that libraries are approaching climate communication and education in a variety of ways, the majority of which center activities which encourage community-building and learning at all ages. Take a first look a the results here.

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IFLA Brings Library Voices to Discussions on Open Culture, AI

What does Open Culture mean for libraries, creators, and consumers? 2022’s UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development – MONDIACULT resulted in a declaration that affirmed culture as a global public good. This means States have recognised the benefit that culture can and should bring to all, and governments’ role in providing clear […]

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Education for Peace and Development: Highlighting key moments and resources from 2022

The UN International Day of Education (24 January) celebrates the importance of education for peace and development. Libraries have a critical role in ensuring all members of society, of all ages, have access to quality education. To mark this day, this article revisits key moments, shares resources, and summarises IFLA’s activities in the field of […]

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