Culture & traditions (Videos)

40 percent of the estimated 6,700 languages spoken around the world are in danger of disappearing. Most of these languages are indigenous languages, which embody complex systems of knowledge developed and accumulated over thousands of years. The disappearance of these languages often means this knowledge is lost forever. As the world marks the International Year of Indigenous Languages, we sat down with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to talk about why she views culture as crucial to the fight for indigenous rights.

In this episode, UNESCO sits down with Thomas Vonier, President of the International Union of Architects, to discuss the designation of Rio de Janeiro as the first World Capital of Architecture, and why architects and urban planners are increasingly looking to the ways of the past for solutions to today's urban challenges. Could bicycles, sidewalks and "building for the ages" be the keys to making cities --now home to more than half of the world's population-- sustainable?

From the coaxing ritual for camels of Mongolia to the Bigwala music and dance of Uganda, the latest episode of Culture Speaks focuses on Living Heritage and UNESCO's efforts to safeguard it for the future. Tim Curtis, Secretary of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding on the Intangible Cultural Heritage

This episode provides an in-depth look at UNESCO's new initiative to "Revive the Spirit of Mosul", the largest reconstruction effort undertaken by UNESCO in recent years.

In this episode, Sameh Wahba, Director of the Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience Global Practice of the World Bank, reveals why the world's largest development bank now sees culture as integral part of its efforts to support the reconstruction of cities following conflict or crisis

This special youth edition of Culture Speaks features a young change-maker and UNESCO Youth Forum participant, Tamara Richardson, who describes the key role ICTs can play in safeguarding humanity's intangible cultural heritage.

Last year, more than 1.2 billion people travelled across international borders, a trend that is only set to continue. As the number of people travelling for tourism continues to grow, UNESCO World Heritage sites are seeing their visitor numbers increase dramatically, creating enormous opportunities but also challenges for these sites and local communities. Balancing the ideals of conservation, economic development and local participation at world heritage sites is the goal of UNESCO's World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme, which is led by Peter Debrine. In this episode, we sat down with Peter to talk about UNESCO's efforts to make sustainable tourism a reality, and also to hear his tips for travellers who wish to visit World Heritage sites sustainable.

In this episode of Talking about Culture, we feature an interview with Danielle Cliche, secretary of the 2005 Convention, and Octavio Kulesz, a UNESCO expert and one of the authors behind Re|Shaping Cultural Policies, who reveal how the digital revolution has fundamentally transformed how artists make, distribute and are compensated for their work. They also explore how UNESCO and its Member States have sought to ensure that all artists can benefit from the potential of digital technologies, as well as the potential effects of artificial intelligence on the cultural and creative industries.

Did you know that the ability to access, participate in and contribute to cultural life is considered a human right? In the latest episode of the Culture Sector podcast, "Talking about Culture", Karima Bennoune, the UN special rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about cultural rights, including: What are cultural rights? What is their basis in international law? Can cultural rights ever be used to justify limits on the rights of women and girls? You can listen to this fascinating podcast here.

In this first instalment of "Talking About Culture", Francesco Bandarin, assistant director-general for culture of UNESCO, offers an eye-opening account of his two most recent missions to two very different World Heritage sites: Wrangel Island in the far north of Siberia and the mysterious Cueva de las Manos in Patagonia. Although one is home to polar bears and the other to 10,000 year-old cave paintings, both are irreplaceable reminders of the importance of safeguarding humanity's heritage, for our planet and ourselves.