The German Commission for UNESCO is the interface between the state, science and civil society for the UNESCO cultural programme in Germany. It advises the Federal Government and the other responsible bodies on UNESCO issues, participates in the implementation of the UNESCO cultural programme in Germany, informs the public about UNESCO's work in the cultural field and involves the cultural community in the work of UNESCO.
Political responsibility lies at the respective federal and state ministries, the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media and the Conference of the German Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. The German Commission for UNESCO is the national contact point for the UNESCO Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005) and coordinates the nationwide coalition for cultural diversity.
The German Commission for UNESCO participates intensively in national and international expert committees for the protection and promotion of cultural diversity and is part of an international UNESCO network of experts. DUK also implements projects in Germany and abroad, such as CONNEXXIONS, to establish knowledge partnerships with cultural actors within the framework of the transformation partnership in North Africa.
Current activities of the German Commission for UNESCO in the field of cultural diversity and the UNESCO cultural programme are:
- Advising the competent federal and state authorities on the implementation of the UNESCO Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
- Development of action plans for the implementation of the Convention and monitoring of its realisation in and by Germany within the framework of the mandate as National Contact Point
- Coordination of the German Coalition for Cultural Diversity
- Monitoring of Arts Education activities
- Advice and support for the implementation of instruments of international law in the cultural field, which have been ratified by Germany
- Advice on UNESCO International Years and World Cultural Days
- Implementation of the CONNEXXIONS project - Knowledge Partnerships with Cultural Actors within the framework of the Transformation Partnership in North Africa