The Tres Culturas Foundation is the third in Spain to achieve distinction from the UN's organisation for Education and Culture
The Tres Culturas Foundation has begun its journey as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre of Reference following the signing of the agreement between the institution and the UN body in Paris. The ceremony was attended by Macarena O’Neill, Deputy Minister of Culture and Sport, and Enric Millo, Secretary General of External Action and European Union of the Regional Government, both representing the co-chair on the Andalusian side, Patricia del Pozo, Minister of Culture, Heritage and Sport.
With this signing, carried out with the director of the Three Cultures of the Mediterranean Foundation, Mar Ahumada, and the deputy director-general for Culture of Unesco, Nayef Al-Fayez, in the presence of the permanent delegate ambassador of Spain to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Miquel Iceta, the definitive step is taken in a process that began on November 12, 2025, when this designation was approved during the 43rd General Conference of Unesco held in Samarkand, with the presence of 194 member states and 12 associate members.
Now, this agreement lays the groundwork that will govern the relationship between the Three Cultures Foundation and UNESCO, defining the modalities of collaboration between them. This includes defining the objectives and functions of the institution as a Category 2 Centre of Reference, among which stand out the promotion of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue in the Mediterranean basin, with the aim of raising the awareness of stakeholders regarding the intrinsic links existing between culture, cultural exchanges, and sustainable development.
It also involves undertaking activities that promote the creative economy and the nexus between culture, creativity, and sustainable development, as well as supporting UNESCO programmes to foster international cooperation and development among the Mediterranean member states in cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, collaborating on activities for human and institutional capacity-building in the cultural and creative industries, and producing periodic publications on these topics.
Finally, work will be undertaken to foster creativity and cultural expressions by establishing online platforms for disseminating and exchanging information, particularly for the benefit of vulnerable groups, women and young people, as well as driving the establishment of a network of relevant public and private institutions and partners, conducting appropriate scientific studies and organising international symposia and training activities in the Mediterranean basin and other regions of the world, particularly in Latin America and Africa.
Likewise, the agreement includes various organisational provisions and other aspects, such as the use of the UNESCO logo in the Foundation's communications. The Foundation is thus established as the seat of the first UNESCO Centre in Andalusia and the third in Spain, under the following name: Category 2 Centre on Cultural Diversity, Dialogue and Development.
UNESCO Category 2 Centres operate as international or regional poles of expertise and cooperation, contributing, through training, research, capacity-building and knowledge-sharing, to the achievement of UNESCO's objectives in the fields of culture, education, and the human sciences.
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