Former Director-General of UNESCO：Covid-19 showed the power of culture to heal, to recover

Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO

Lianbing Xiao, Secretary General of Guangming Daily Center for International Exchange, Cooperation and Communication

Unity is the right way to deal with global threats

Lianbing Xiao：After the outbreak, the Chinese government has taken a series of measures to uphold the principle of putting life first. After the outbreak of the global epidemic, China actively supported international organizations and many countries for the funds and materials used to fight the epidemic. How would you comment on the Chinese government's measures to fight the epidemic?

Irina Bokova：Let me start by saying that with the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic the world is confronted with the worse crisis since the Second World War with unprecedented political, economic, social and humanitarian consequences.At the peak of the pandemic all needed assistance as health systems were under enormous strain.But the worst hit will be on the developing countries and the most vulnerable among them, who do not have solid health systems and economic or financial capacity to respond to a crisis of such proportion. For the most vulnerable communities, it is crisis within a crisis. They need special assistance and support. In many of these countries, international organizations are at the forefront of mobilizing efforts to support their health systems to fight the pandemic.

After successfully controlling the spread of the pandemic home, China gave a strong and impressive support to the efforts of many countries and international organizations by providing critical medical supplies and protective equipment.China has sent face masks, protective suits, test kits to almost 150 countries and 4 international organizations, 29 medical teams to 27 countries and held video conferences sharing experience with more than 170 countries.Equally impressive is the solidarity, expressed by the Chinese local Governments, companies and organizations that have donated medical supplies to over 100 countries.Addressing the opening ceremony of the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) video conference, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China will provide $2 billion in international assistance over two years to support the fight against COVID-19 and the economic and social recovery and development of affected countries, especially developing countries.

If at the beginning China received support from some countries as an expression of solidarity, it was China afterwards then turned to the world in fighting back the pandemic. In a global crisis, this is the way it should be – a global threat needs global response and global solidarity.

Lianbing Xiao: The global epidemic shows that the international community faces common challenges and humanity has a common destiny. At the G20 special summit held during the epidemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed that all countries in the world should stick together, help each other.

Irina Bokova：With the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen that the virus does not know geographical or political borders, political systems of ethnic and religious divides. It hits everywhere and everyone. And that it is the greatest peacetime challenge that the United Nations and humanity as a whole has ever faced.The threat is global and needs global response. In humanity’s recent history, there has never been a moment when global action and coordination are vital for lives of people and for peace. Apart from the tragic human consequences of the Covid-19 epidemic, the economic uncertainty, it sparked, will cost the global economy $1 trillion in 2020, according to the last estimates of UNCTAD. ILO estimates that 1,25 billion people will be either jobless or with will see reduction of their income worldwide and FAO is alerting on the need to ensure food supply chain and production and the threat to food security worldwide. This is unprecedented situation that requires solidarity and mutual support never seen before.

The role of the United Nations leadership in this global response is unmatched. In the year of its 75th anniversary, the UN should demonstrate unequivocally that multilateralism is relevant and it works. I see President Xi’s appeal towards the G20 countries as a support for the United Nations and global community to fight a common challenge together. Unilateral approaches are not the response today.

Responding to the epidemic and planning for recovery require cultural concerns

Lianbing Xiao: During the epidemic at home, there was a very popular short video: Milanese in Italy played the violin, played the trumpet, and sang the song on their balcony. World famous tenor singer Bocelli sings alone in front of Milan Cathedral. In France, celebrities from all social circles participated in the activity of recording chorus at home to express their yearning for a better life in the future. The United Nations organized an online star concert. When an outbreak occurred in China, the Czech President supported the Chinese people in fighting against the epidemic by holding a concert.

Irina Bokova: It was indeed touching to hear famous singers streaming live from balconies and empty public spaces in many European countries giving hope to millions of people worldwide. Culture and art have taken our homes by storm during lockdowns through free streaming of music, theatre and opera, through on-line opening of museums and precious collections, through visits of distant world heritage sites. It showed the power of culture to heal, to recover, to mobilize, to reconcile, to imagine.I believe we have now a better understanding and cognizance of the importance of culture and creativity for the society and the world as a whole – both as a response to the crisis, as well as for the ambition to create a better world after the pandemic – more just and inclusive. We have seen also the importance of digital access and it becoming part of our lives. Last but not least, the crisis has revealed the critical role of culture in promoting social cohesion and psychological well-being. Culture is a powerful source of resilience. Lianbing Xiao: As a former Director-General of UNESCO, how do you judge the impact of the global outbreak on the international community in the cultural field?

Irina Bokova: Empty UNESCO World Heritage sites, cultural events cancelled, cultural institutions closed, community cultural practices suspended, heightened risk of looting of cultural sites and poaching at natural sites, artists unable to make ends meet and the cultural tourism sector greatly affected... The impact of the COVID-19 on the cultural sector is being felt around the world. This impact is social, economic and political – it affects the fundamental right of access to culture, the social rights of artists and creative professional and the protection of the diversity of cultural expression. The unfolding crisis risks deepening inequalities and rendering communities vulnerable.

I am happy that once again UNESCO made a significant effort to alert the international community of the impact of Covid-19 on the cultural sector recently stating.UNESCO launched an important new initiative–a global movement, Resiliart, in order mobilize and support cultural professionals and artists across the world in these challenging times of crisis, many of whom have either lost their jobs or opportunities to create and contribute to the economy and society.The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) gave a grim picture also of the consequences of the pandemic on the cultural and creative sectors as well as on tourism, which are among the most affected due to the sudden and massive moss of revenue opportunities. Public museums, libraries and theatres are experiencing significant budget shortfalls and many small companies and freelance professionals which are essential for the sector are most affected as well.

Now more than ever, we need to recognise, incorporate, and support cultural concerns in our response to the crisis and planning for the recovery. We must also strengthen the global mind-set and international cooperation that are critically needed, faced with the risk of closed borders and divisions in the international community. At the global level, appropriate resources and collaboration mechanisms including cultural cooperation, should recognise existing barriers and seek to address them.We have an opportunity to build back better, designing policies that allow culture to fulfil its role as the fourth pillar of sustainable development. Doing so will provide a more comprehensive frame to understand our world and make for stronger, more innovative, more tolerant and more resilient communities tomorrow.Conversely, failing to support culture in this time of crisis will result in potentially irreversible losses to creators, artists and cultural professionals, who already often do not benefit from adequate protections, as well as damage to many cultural practices, resources and organisations. This risks triggering a considerable deterioration in the richness and diversity in all manifestations of culture – from heritage sites, museums, libraries and archives to traditional practices and contemporary cultural expressions – and the ability of culture to contribute to a better future.

Building a better world requires multilateral cooperation

Lianbing Xiao: As you know, sticking to multilateralism is China’s firm position. In the post-epidemic era, adhering to multilateralism is more relevant to the prospects for world development.

Irina Bokova: Equally, such a cooperation is very much needed in order to build a better world after the pandemic. The United Nations has an important Agenda to follow to reach by the year 2030 – the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, whose achievement is in serious danger because of the follow-out of the crisis. Let me remind the Sustainable Development Agenda is a fundamental contribution by the UN to engage the international community in the promotion of shared goals to confront economic, social and environmental challenges.

For the United Nations, the big question nowadays is how to implement this strategic vision for humanity and the planet which represents the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development? What kind of national and international policy framework we need so that we achieve sustainable growth, social inclusion, reducing inequalities and tackling environmental issues after the crisis and to not allow decades of achievements to be lost?

China has made significant contributions to the process of advancing the 2030 Agenda and the agreement on the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). But before that, China has made impressive progress on achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.With one fifth of the world’s population, China has become the first developing country to realize the U.N. Millennium Development Goal and actively engaging in South-south cooperation and providing help to over 120 developing countries in their efforts to attain the MDGs. China launched an impressive policy campaign called “The Targeted Poverty Alleviation”, aiming at the complete elimination of extreme poverty in rural China by 2020, 10 years ahead of the agenda of SDGs.President Xi Jinping has identified anti-poverty as one of three “tough battles” for the period from 2017 to 2020, launching thus “the largest poverty alleviation campaign in history”. And it has given astounding results.The last Human Development Report, issued by the United Nations at the end of 2019, which coincided with the 70th anniversary of People’s Republic of China, recognizes the remarkable changes that have taken place in China - not only in terms of economic growth, but more importantly, the wider range of sustainable human development progress.China’s advances in this regard have been uniquely impressive - it is the only country in the world that progressed from a “low human development country” in 1990 to a “high human development country” today. China has the responsibility to share this experience with the world even more now after the crisis.

As Director General of UNESCO for 8 years from 2009 to 2017 I have seen the rise of the influence of China within the United Nations and within UNESCO more specifically. I have already mentioned about China’s contribution to the protection of heritage and integration of culture in sustainable development.Equally important is China’s strong commitment to the scientific and engineering programs within UNESCO.

Cooperation with China highlights the importance of culture in global development

Lianbing Xiao: You received Chinese President Xi Jinping at the UNESCO headquarters, on March 27, 2014.What were your thoughts on this?

Irina Bokova: I remember vividly President Xi’s visit to UNESCO in March 2014 and his landmark speech, affirming that “we live in a world with different cultures, ethnic groups, skin colors, religions and social systems, and the people of various countries have become me embers of an intimate community of shared destiny.”Later developments demonstrated that this was indeed a historic visit. And it was not done by chance. It testified to the importance President Xi attached to UNESCO’s mandate “to build peace in the minds of women and men” through education, culture and science.

Lianbing Xiao: As a country rich in cultural resources, China has always attached importance to cooperation with UNESCO.

Irina Bokova: UNESCO has worked with China long to inscribe firmly culture on the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030. I have in mind the landmark Hangzhou International Congress on Culture: Key to Sustainable Development, held in May 2013, whose Declaration is even more relevant in these challenging times.The same is true to the world’s first UNESCO Creative Cities’ Summit, held in Beijing, UNESCO City of Design in 2016.Already 12 Chinese cities have joined enthusiastically the UNESCO Creative Cities’ network, with Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Qingdao and others. I am proud that during my tenure I could declare 11 out of these 12 cities members of this important network of creativity and urban development, that brings social inclusion and growth with a human face.

All of this shows the leadership of China in crafting new approaches to culture as a powerful driver of creativity and sustainable human development.China has shown us once again that when a nation wakes up, it always starts with cultural awareness. China has found that culture is now an important source of national cohesion and creativity, a pillar of socio-economic development.China's cultural industry has accelerated its expansion, driven by the rapid growth of information transmission services. According to some reports, over the last decade the Chinese cultural industry multiplied by 60 times, reaching almost 4% of GDP and influencing other sectors. Advances in technology have a strong impact on the consumption and access of creative content through internet and mobile devices.These are impressive figures that show the power of culture to contribute to socio-economic development and to encourage creativity and innovation. China has shown the world that culture is not a lux, but a democratic force for social cohesion and social inclusion.

These were milestone events that continue to shape a new vision of the importance of culture in the economic and social development globally, even more now in the debate of what next after the pandemic is over.

Lianbing Xiao: Cooperation with UNESCO is also an important way for China to implement the concept of multilateralism and the community of human destiny.

Irina Bokova: As Director General of UNESCO, I have witnessed also the emergence of a strong commitment on behalf of China to share experiences and to promote South-South cooperation for the achievement of important sustainable development goals. Once a country with a huge illiterate population, China succeeded not only to overcome this serious problem that defies people of their dignity, but to lend a hand to the others, the least developed countries in Asia and Africa, to make their education systems strong and relevant and to get an access to new technologies for achieving better quality of education.This was the meaning of another strong partnership with China that we have built, based on the UNESCO’s global priority of UNESCO – Africa. In 2012 a flagship programme was launched - the 8 million USD UNESCO Funds-in-Trust for education in Africa. This programme went into the core of the needs of African countries - supporting teacher's education in 10 Sub-Saharan countries in Africa, benefiting more than 10000 African teachers who have honed their skills in harnessing modern ICTs in service of literacy and professional training. It has been widely recognized as a successful example of South-South cooperation on the multilateral platform.

Learn the wisdom of the ancients and help human development

Lianbing Xiao: UNESCO has a very well-known "Silk Road Overall Study: The Road to Dialogue" project, which echoes the Strengthened People-to-people Ties in the "Belt and Road" initiative.

Irina Bokova: President Xi pointed that, we should foster a new type of international relations featuring win-win co-operation; and we should forge partnerships of dialogue with no confrontation and of friendship rather than alliance.This aspiration resonates deeply with my experience as UNESCO Director General.The Belt and Road Initiative and its focus on cultural exchanges, on cooperation in education and the sciences should be seen as a renewal of the Silk Road which seeks to build trust, confidence and understanding between peoples and countries along its route, as another “soft power infrastructure” -- to shape more inclusive and peaceful societies, to respect diversity.

I am proud that during my tenure as DG UNESCO, in 2014 one of the largest World Heritage Sites, “Silk Roads: Routes Network of Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor” was inscribed on the World Heritage List. About 5000 kilometres long, it represents thirty- three components in China, 8 in Kazakhstan and 3 in Kyrgyzstan – capital cities and palace complexes of various empires and Khan Kingdoms, trading settlements, Buddhist cave temples, pagodas in cities, ancient paths, posthouses, passes, beacon towers, sections of the Great Wall, fortifications, tombs and religious buildings and ruins in remote inaccessible deserts.The Tian-shan corridor is an extraordinary example of world history of how dynamic channel linking civilizations and cultures across the Eurasian continent realized the broadest and most long-lasting interchange among civilizations and cultures. It shows also the profound influence of trade on the settlement structure of the landscape, through the development of towns and cities, through water management systems that exist in some places, through the extensive network of forts, beacon towers, way stations and caravanserai that accommodates travelers, through the sequence of Buddhist shrines and cave temples, and through the manifestations of other religions such as Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Nestorian Christianity and Islam that resulted from the cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic communities that organized and benefitted from the high value trade.

All these are the reasons for the decision of the World Heritage Committee in 2014, after 7 years of hard work of experts from many countries, to inscribe this extraordinary serial site on the World Heritage list. I could see for myself the important work done by the Chinese experts when I visited in August 2015 the Shaanxi Provincial Historical Museum in Xi’an which hosts the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) International Conservation Centre.

Lianbing Xiao: In the construction of the “Belt and Road”, all parties feel the Silk Road spirit of unity and mutual trust, equality and mutual benefit, tolerance and mutual learning, and win-win cooperation. In the post-epidemic era, what values will help the development of human society at the spiritual level?

Irina Bokova: Confucius’had many great ideas,but I have always retained one,which epitomizes Chinese look at the nature and the world-‘Harmony is most precious’,‘To seek harmony in diversity’ and ‘In a party of three there must be one whom I can learn from’,are still endlessly relevant to us all.In this world,where there are huge advancement and opportunities in science,communication and technology,but at the same time inequality,xenophobia,discrimination and confrontation are on the rise, we need to learn from the ancients’wisdom.We need to put human development into the center of public policies and of international exchanges,we need new moral compass to guide our tightly globalized and,but troubled world.

As it is written in the UNESCO’s Constitution“a peace,based exclusively upon the political and economic arrangements of governments would not be a peace which could secure the unanimous,lasting and sincere support of the peoples of the world,and that the peace must therefore be founded,if it is not to fail,upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind”.We need this moral and intellectual solidarity more than ever before,we need a“new humanism”to quite all our efforts today,more than ever before.