HYDEA took part in Mondiacult 2025, the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development, held in Barcelona from September 29 to October 1, 2025.
We were invited to attend the event as part of the delegation for the Project on Cultural and Creative Industries in the Indian Ocean (ICC Project), promoted by the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). The delegation included:
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Juliette Janin, Head of Division at the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and Head of Mission;
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Astrid Audibert, our Team Leader;
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Paolo Lazzoni, Project Coordinator for the consortium.
We were honoured to contribute to this important global dialogue, guided by the conviction that preserving and enhancing both tangible and intangible cultural heritage is essential to building more resilient societies in the face of climate, economic, and social challenges.
In this spirit, the IOC ICC Project co-organized the side event:
“Creative Industries Driving Climate Action: An interregional dialogue on how culture and CCIs address climate challenges and social transformations in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)”.
The panel brought together voices and perspectives from Seychelles, Jamaica, Cabo Verde, and the Cook Islands, featuring the inspiring participation of a young professional from Aruba (representing the MondiaYouth programme).
The discussion was further enriched by contributions from the audience, with insights from Curaçao, Hawaii, Barbados, Mauritius, Sint Maarten, Tuvalu, and others.
This exchange highlighted how, despite their specific contexts, islands share common vulnerabilities, yet also possess ancestral knowledge, resilience, and a remarkable creative strength.