Sweden provides additional support to UNESCO’s Cultural Conventions and freedom of expression

In addition to its generous annual contributions under the Programme Cooperation Agreement (2014-2017), the Government of Sweden decided in November 2017 to provide additional financial support to UNESCO in the amount of  SEK 3,200,000  (around USD 400,000) to strengthen the protection of heritage, as well as to promote independent, free and pluralistic media.

The contribution will strengthen the Secretariat’s capacity to support the States Parties in the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention, the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property and the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two (1954 and 1999) Protocols. It will focus on statutory processes, capacity-building and awareness-raising, concentrating on conflict and post-conflict countries, particularly in the Arab region, Africa, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).