Ministry of Culture of Brazil holds 2nd International Seminar on Culture and Climate Change, in Rio de Janeiro

The Ministry of Culture of Brazil will hold the 2nd International Seminar on Culture and Climate Change at the Gustavo Capanema Palace, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), from October 31 to November 2, 2025.

The event will bring together representatives from governments, cultural institutions, international organizations, artists, researchers, and civil society leaders to strengthen the dialogue between culture and climate action. Minister of Culture Margareth Menezes will officially open the seminar on October 31, at 10 a.m.

Those interested in participating may register at the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/M9nMhiLGaa.

The second edition of the seminar - organized in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI) - builds upon the discussions initiated at the first meeting, held in Salvador (Bahia) in 2024, when Brazil hosted the G20 on Culture. On that occasion, the Salvador de Bahia Declaration was approved - the first G20 document to officially recognize culture as an integral component of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

“Culture is a vital force for social transformation. It mobilizes, inspires, and creates concrete paths for the world to face, with justice and solidarity, the impacts of the climate emergency,” said Minister Margareth Menezes.

Inspired by the call from the COP30 Presidency, which will take place in Belém (PA), for a “global task force” in favor of climate action, the seminar will discuss how to integrate cultural dimensions into environmental processes and policies, strengthening the role of art, heritage, and the creative industries in building a sustainable and inclusive future.

Program

The agenda includes seven panels, addressing themes such as culture as a pillar of climate action, financing a sustainable cultural sector, climate justice and traditional knowledge, collective narratives and imagination in the face of the planetary crisis, and new forms of social participation to strengthen climate capacity.

In addition to the debate sessions, the meeting will also create spaces for dialogue and networking among participants, aiming to consolidate international alliances toward the creation of the first Work Programme on Culture-Based Climate Action under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

“This is an important step to ensure that cultural solutions are recognized as legitimate instruments for adaptation, mitigation, and environmental regeneration. Culture cannot be left out of the global climate agenda,” the Minister emphasized.

The seminar is part of the international effort of the Group of Friends of Culture-Based Climate Action (GFCBCA), established at COP28, under the joint leadership of Brazil and the United Arab Emirates. Currently, the GFCBCA is composed of 56 countries and 25 knowledge partners. 

Panels

• Institutional Opening Session
  

• Panel 1: Culture as a Pillar of Climate Action Policies

• Panel 2: From Mondiacult to COP30: A Global Collective Effort to Place Culture at the Heart of Climate Action

• Panel 3: A Time of Monsters: Culture, Art, and Collective Imagination in the Face of the Planetary Crisis
  

• Panel 4: New Ways of Telling the World: The Role of Storytelling in Climate Action
  

• Panel 5: Financing a Sustainable and Resilient Cultural Sector
  

• Panel 6: Territories of Culture: Knowledges that Weave Climate Justice
  

• Panel 7: Art, Culture, and Participation: Actions to Strengthen Climate Capacity
  

Full agenda: 

Friday, October 31

• 09:30 – 09:45: Welcome
• 09:45 – 10:15: Artistic contribution
• 10:15 – 12:00: Institutional opening panel
• 14:00 – 15:30: Session 1 — Culture as a Pillar of Climate Action Policies
• 16:15 – 17:45: Session 2 — From Mondiacult to COP30: A Global Collective Effort to Place Culture at the Heart of Climate Action
• 17:45 – 18:00: Artistic performance

Saturday, November 1

• 13:30 – 13:45: Welcome
• 13:45 – 15:00: Session 3 — A Time of Monsters: Culture, Art, and Collective Imagination in the Face of the Planetary Crisis
• 15:00 – 16:15: Session 4 — Financing a Sustainable and Resilient Cultural Sector
• 16:45 – 18:00: Session 5 — New Ways of Telling the World: The Role of Storytelling in Climate Action

Sunday, November 2

• 13:30 – 13:45: Welcome
• 14:00 – 15:30: Session 6 — Territories of Culture: Knowledges that Weave Climate Justice
• 16:00 – 17:30: Session 7 — Art, Culture, and Participation: Actions to Advance Climate Empowerment
• 17:30 – 18:00: Artistic performance

Service information

2nd International Seminar on Culture and Climate Change

📅 October 31 – November 2, 2025
📍 Gustavo Capanema Palace Building
Rua da Imprensa, 16 – Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
📝 Registration (public): https://forms.office.com/r/M9nMhiLGaa (Event subject to capacity limit)

Press: https://forms.gle/gnMMug6fr2n64tix6

📧 General inquiries: culturaeclima@cultura.gov.br
📧 Press: imprensa.minc@cultura.gov.br