REGISTER TO ATTEND

• Date: 29 April, 2026

• Time: 14:00–17:00 (followed by a reception)

• Location: UNESCO House, Room IX, 7, place de Fontenoy, Paris 7th, France

PROGRAM DETAILS

Join experts from around the globe for a dialogue about the need to ensure equitable access to public domain heritage in the digital environment as a means to address global challenges. This event aims to stimulate a conversation on how open access to heritage contributes to six key themes: education for all, climate science, social inclusion, ethical AI, sustainable development, and cultural and linguistic diversity.

Welcome Coffee (13:00-14:00)

• Outside Room IX

Dialogue Welcome and Opening Remarks (14:00-14:10)

• Anna Tumadóttir
  Chief Executive Officer, Creative Commons

• Brigitte Vézina
  Director of Policy and Open Culture, Creative Commons

High-Level Contributions on Equitable Access to Heritage in the Context of UNESCO’s Mandate  (14:10-14:45)

Moderator

• Jennryn Wetzler
  Director of Learning and Training, Creative Commons

Speakers

• Michael Lampe
  Cultural Ambassador, Government of Aruba

• Alessandra Luciano
  Head of Coordination of Cultural Digital Strategy, Ministry of Culture, Luxembourg

• Lutz Möller
  Deputy Secretary-General, German National Commission for UNESCO

Expert Panel I: Global Perspectives on Open Heritage and Education to Address the Climate Crisis (14:45–15:25)

Moderator

• Marek Abi
  Focal Point for Africa and Small Island Developing States, Cultural Policies and Development (CLT/CPD), UNESCO

Speakers

• Alwaleed Alkhaja
  Head of Open Access and Copyright, Qatar National Library

• Carlo De Gaetano
  Designer and Researcher, Visual Methodologies Research Group, FDMCI Knowledge Centre, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands

• Ping Kong
  Founder/CEO of Heritage & Education gGmbH and Secretary-General of ICOMOS ISC Water and Heritage

• Zeynep Varoglu
  Senior Programme Specialist, Universal Access to Information Section, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO

Expert Panel II: Global Perspectives on Open Heritage and Ethical Artificial Intelligence (15:35–16:05)

Moderator

• Anna Tumadóttir

Speaker

• Lorena Aldana
  Senior Policy Advisor, Europeana Foundation

• Johanne Bouchard
  Human Rights Officer, Cultural Rights, Office of the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights
  

Expert Panel III: Global Perspectives on Open Heritage and Diversity, Inclusion, and Sustainability (16:05–16:50)

Moderator

• Mohamed Ziane Bouziane
  Programme Coordinator
  UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Speakers

• Erna Lilje
  Curator, Indigenous Knowledge and Material Culture, Wereldmuseum Leiden, Netherlands

• Marco Rendina
  Managing Director, European Fashion Heritage Association, Italy

• Jussi Nuorteva
  Chair, Finnish National Memory of the World Committee, Finland

• Elliott Bledsoe
  Chapter Lead, Creative Commons Australia

Closing Remarks (16:50-17:00)

• Brigitte Vézina
  Director of Policy and Open Culture, Creative Commons

Reception (17:00-18:30)