UNESCO has released its fourth global Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity report, which offers a comprehensive look at how countries are protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions amid technological, social and political change.

Drawing on 133 national reports and nearly 4,000 cultural policy measures, this new edition underlines that the cultural and creative industries drive growth and sustainability. However, culture’s benefits remain unevenly distributed and it is not yet integrated meaningfully into key technological and development policies.

As IFLA stressed during Mondiacult 2025, libraries are critical infrastructure for upholding cultural rights for all. This report underlines our message.

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Photo by Roberto Reposo on Unsplash

An Eye on Trends

This report identifies trends in cultural policy and in the promotion of a diversity of cultural expressions which reveal new opportunities, as well as strong links between culture and larger shifts in how people access and share information. These include:

  • Ministries of Education and Economy are emerging as main partners for cooperation with cultural agencies
  • National cultural policy is increasingly oriented towards job creation
  • Digital priorities are shaping countries’ cultural policy, with 85% of reporting countries supporting digital skills development
  • When implementing the 2005 Convention, developing countries are focusing on sustainable development and cultural mobility, while developed countries are focusing on human rights and fundamental freedoms
  • In the face of emerging challenges, there is a growing reliance on national and international networking to build resilience
  • Media diversity in the digital environment is a growing focus of policy making, with increased investment in digital transition of public service and community media
  • The digital shift poses risks for environmental sustainability and cultural diversity
  • Culture remains absent from major AI frameworks, even though AI shapes and depends on cultural expressions

A Strong Role for Libraries in Cultural Policy: Key messages

More countries are recognising culture’s role in sustainable development

IFLA is a strong supporter of culture as a core driver of sustainable development. UNESCO reports that 93% of countries (up from 76% in the previous report) are including cultural agencies in sustainable development planning.

However, political commitments on culture are not always translating into concrete action, and a lack of specific goals, such as specific linkages between culture and climate goals, is reported. Interestingly, culture-led development efforts are rapidly expanding at the local level, with significant regional, urban or rural initiatives reported.

Libraries are key providers of cultural participation and multilingual access

Libraries are positioned in this report as essential cultural infrastructure, as UNESCO’s global mapping of cultural facilities identifies libraries as one of the four most common cultural access points worldwide. However, it does note that disparities exist, as cities in high-income countries still have greater access to library infrastructure than those in low‑income areas.

Libraries help ensure that diverse languages, cultural expressions and identities remain visible—particularly for Indigenous, minority-language and migrant communities. They are recognised in the report for expanding multilingual cultural programming and supporting cultural rights across demographic divides.

Libraries are central to digital equity and access to culture in the digital environment

In light of the widening digital divide, the report further underscores libraries’ role as digital inclusion hubs. Importantly, UNESCO recognises that this goes beyond providing access points. As governments report growing gaps in digital skills and uneven access to digital platforms, UNESCO stresses the importance of libraries in providing:

  • public internet access,
  • digital skills training,
  • support for content creators
  • skills for engaging safely online

Input from national governments link libraries to national digitisation efforts, which provide greater access to diverse cultural expressions. The National Library of Latvia’s 3.8 million‑item digital library, Cuba’s Patria Libros digital library of documentary heritage, and Brazil’s digitised services of the public library network in the State of Rio de Janeiro are examples of how libraries are transforming access to culture.

Libraries safeguard cultural and linguistic diversity – especially in the age of AI

Culture remains a blind spot in AI policy, with only one of 148 national AI bills passed between 2016-2024 addressing culture directly. Because of this, UNESCO warns of AI-driven risks to linguistic diversity, cultural rights and the visibility of local content.

Libraries, as custodians of of multilingual and locally relevant collections and heritage, are positioned as key stakeholders who must be included in national AI and digital governance frameworks.

What This Means for Library Advocacy

Libraries are essential to cultural rights, digital transformation and equitable access to culture, but they remain insufficiently recognised in national strategies and funding frameworks.

This report supports advocacy messages that call for:

  • the explicit inclusion of libraries in national digital, cultural and AI strategies, and the inclusion of library stakeholders in the creation of these strategies
  • sustained investment in library infrastructure and digitisation efforts – including upskilling and training for library staff
  • recognition of libraries as core partners in multilingual and culturally diverse content creation
  • the recognition of culture as a stand-alone goal in the post-2030 sustainable development framework – see the Culture 2030 Goal Campaign’s example here

Overall, the 4th Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity Report stresses once again that libraries are foundational to cultural rights, digital equity and the diversity of cultural expressions worldwide. We encourage you to share this message