In 2025, we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, a fundamental text that serves as a key tool for our sector. Ratified by UNIMA, this convention supports the recognition and promotion of puppetry arts worldwide by fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue, and international cooperation.

As a community dedicated to preserving and innovating the art of puppetry, we have the opportunity to use this convention as a means to promote our practices, advocate for our cultural rights, and enhance the visibility of our initiatives among institutions and global cultural policies.

UNESCO has launched a dedicated website for this celebration, offering a platform where everyone can showcase their activities and initiatives aligned with the objectives of the convention. We encourage you to contribute and highlight your projects, demonstrating the importance of puppetry in global cultural diversity.

You can visit the website and submit your activities via the following link:

https://www.unesco.org/creativity/en/celebrating-20-years-empowering-creativity

For any questions/observations regarding the convention within UNIMA, please contact Clément Peretjatko, the executive committee-appointed representative for the follow-up of the convention: europe@unima.org.

Together, let’s make this anniversary an opportunity to strengthen our commitment to cultural diversity and affirm puppetry as a vibrant, essential, and universal art form.

Phtoto: UNESCO – Thandiwe Muriu Camo