Kiri

To the Permanent Delegations of the Parties to the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 27 February 2025 Culture Sector The Assistant Director-General Ref: CLT/DCE/25/L-35 Subject: Call for annual voluntary contributions to the International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD) Sir/ Madam, In accordance with Decision18.IGC.6.a of the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, I am writing to invite your country to make its annual voluntary contribution to the International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD). Please find attached information on the modalities for contributions from Parties to the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (“2005 Convention”). As you know, this year 2005 Convention celebrates its 20th anniversary under the theme “Empowering Creativity.” As a Party to the 2005 Convention, you are among the 158 countries, as well as the European Union to have made a commitment to its principle of international solidarity and cooperation, which aims to empower the cultural and creative industries at the local, national, and international levels. This commitment is reaffirmed through your annual voluntary contributions to the International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD), which has provided US$12.6 million for 164 projects in 76 developing States since it was established in 2010. Every year, the IFCD empowers national authorities, NGOs and INGOs to foster the emergence of dynamic cultural sectors in developing countries by investing in transformative projects in the fields of audio-visual/cinema, design, media arts, music, performing arts, publishing, and visual arts that support the creative economy and bolster inclusive and sustainable economic growth. With projects ranging from the development and implementation of cultural policies and capacity-building for culture professionals and entrepreneurs, to access to new markets and greater participation in cultural life, the IFCD strengthens the means to create, produce, distribute and have access to diverse cultural goods and services. This critical investment in creativity is transforming societies and changing lives by defending artistic freedom, promoting gender equality and priority Africa, and empowering youth. The third external evaluation of the IFCD conduced in 2024, covering the period from October 2017 to May 2024 demonstrated that 54% of IFCD projects supported gender equality, 32 % benefitted Africa and 67% focused on youth. A dozen innovative projects were awarded funding from the IFCD in 2025, including: an initiative to empower young female performing and visual artists in Mexico; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 7, Place de Fontenoy 75352 Paris 07 SP France T: +33 (0)1 45 68 10 55 establishment of the first 3D animation school in Madagascar; and support for culture policy reform in Egypt to empower street theatre arts and youth groups; as well as other transformative activities in: Colombia, Ethiopia, Serbia, Tanzania, and for the first time The Bahamas, Costa Rica, Eswatini, India, and Zambia. In our united goal to empower creativity and widen the positive impact of IFCD-funded projects in developing countries around the world, we are calling on all Parties to provide their annual contributions to the Fund—at 1% or more—in hopes that we can increase the number of projects funded in the future. Thank you as always for your support and commitment to the 2005 Convention, and for your contribution to the IFCD in 2025 during this special anniversary year. Yours sincerely, Ernesto Ottone R. Cc: National Commissions for UNESCO 2005 Convention National Focal Points UNESCO Field Offices Enc.: Modalities for IFCD contributions 2/2 ANNEX ESTONIA VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION TO THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR CULTURAL DIVERSITY (IFCD) Amount of the voluntary contribution corresponding to 1 per cent of your total contribution to UNESCO’s budget for 2025: 1,542 USD Payments are to be made only by bank transfer to one of the following bank accounts: In USD: Account holder: UNESCO Bank: Citibank, N.A. Address: 111 Wall Street, New York, New York 10043, USA Account n°: 36378785 SWIFT BIC: CITIUS33 ABA: 021000089 In Euros: Account holder: UNESCO Bank: Société Générale, Paris, France Account N° - IBAN: FR76 30003 03301 00037291909 97 BIC-SWIFT: SOGEFRPP Important: Reference to be quoted in any payment instruction: code 182REV9000