Vol. 3, No. 5: The Cultural Diversity Issue

May 2023 — Vol. 3, No. 5
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THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY ISSUE

Welcome to the May 2023 edition of the IFLA Newsletter!

21 May is World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, making a clear link between the richness and variety of our cultures, and the success of our societies as a whole.

What is it that libraries can do to continue to nurture our spaces to support cultural diversity? What can we do to help remove any barriers, restrictions, and obstacles to these spaces to enable meaningful interculturalism?

Read the full editorial →

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IFLA WELCOMES SHARON MEMIS AS NEW SECRETARY GENERAL, EFFECTIVE 1 JUNE

In breaking news, IFLA is delighted to announce the appointment of Sharon Memis as the new Secretary General.

Sharon's appointment was a unanimous decision of the Governing Board following a global search and recruitment process.

Sharon has been introduced to the IFLA HQ team and will begin her role in earnest on 1 June 2023. She will join the June meeting of the Governing Board and is looking forward to meeting members and delegates at WLIC 2023 in Rotterdam.

For more information about her, please refer to the welcoming letter from the IFLA President.

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IN THE FIELD

IFLA's President Barbara Lison engaged with members around the world this month, with visits across three continents.

In India, she delivered a speech at the International Library and Information Professional Summit I-LIPS conference, as well as meeting with colleagues from the DELNET consortium.

Meanwhile in Bangladesh, she spoke at a conference of the Library Association of Bangladesh and met with the national UNESCO Commission, featuring on the national news.

Thanks to the great support of the Library of Congress of Argentina, Barbara participated in a busy programme of events around the Buenos Aires Book Fair, including meeting with ministers, talking about IFLA's work on sustainable development, and engaging with regional organisations.

Finally, she attended the 1st Austrian Library Conference, co-organised by the country's two main library associations.

GOVERNING BOARD

On 17 April, IFLA's Governing Board met. They received updates on and discussed next steps in the plan for securing IFLA's future, including noting the finalisation of the first IFLA Handbook for volunteers and deciding to hold an in-person World Library and Information Congress in 2025. At the meeting in June, the Governing Board will welcome a new member, Loida Garcia Febo, who joins as a result of her election as chair of the Standing Committee of the Management of Library Associations Section.

Congratulations to elected volunteers in IFLA's committees

IFLA's members have elected hundreds of volunteers who will take up their terms of office in August 2023. They join others who are continuing their terms and together form the huge engine that powers the work of IFLA for the global library field.

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IFLA and UNESCO celebrate 30 Years of World Press Freedom Day with Documentary Heritage

World Press Freedom Day (3 May) pays homage to freedom of the press as an essential part of democratic, informed, and participatory societies. It calls for a reflection on its history, evaluation of the current state of press freedom around the world, and remembrance of those journalists who have lost their lives providing access to information.

New briefing on digital public goods

There are a number of ways in which libraries can engage with the concept of digital public goods, which has become more and more prominent in discussions about about the future of internet governance, and development in general. This briefing explains what they are, and why they are relevant.

a group of children and adults sitting outside the building, smiling

Libraries stand out in Special Rapporteur's Report on Cultural Rights of Migrants

Libraries not only depend on human rights to deliver their services – they actively contribute to their realisation. The values of libraries and many aspects of their missions are interlinked with ensuring access to information and freedom of expression. Both of these fundamental freedoms are also aspects of cultural rights. For their many actions to enable participation in cultural life, libraries can be considered cultural rights defenders.

From open science to sustainable development: libraries as essential infrastructures

As part of the UN Science, Technology and Innovation Forum, IFLA was proud to host a side-event focused on how libraries help make open science work in ways that maximise its contribution to development. At the heart of this is the need to apply principles of sustainable development – leaving no-one behind, taking a holistic approach – to open science itself.

two persons dressed in tribal costumes dancing at a festival

IFLA Celebrates World Book Day with a spotlight on Indigenous Languages

Every year, UNESCO invites the international community to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April. This day recognises books as a "link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations and across cultures" and calls for celebrations of the power and joy of books.

Czech libraries provide support for Ukrainian refugees

The Czech Republic, with its population of over 10.5 million and its more than 5,000 libraries, is often considered the country with the densest library network in the world. Not long after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the country became a temporary home for nearly half a million refugees (mostly women, children and the elderly). Czech libraries have reacted very quickly to the influx and began providing support for incoming refugees. Read more from the IFLA Public Libraries Section about services and support provided by libraries in the Czech Republic.

Empowering individuals to drive national, regional and global development: Libraries at the LAC SDG Forum

Libraries had a strong presence at the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, through engagement in sessions, direct contact with delegates, and a side-event focused on how libraries empower people to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Leading Change for Libraries

IFLA's Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Division Committee's launched the In-Country Library Advocacy Co-Design Team with the aim of leading change for libraries in the region. This initiative is part of the IFLA SSA's global advocacy priorities that identifies and addresses core library advocacy issues specific to various African countries.

Ready for Rotterdam? WLIC 2023 Congress programme now available!

We're pleased to announce that the #WLIC2023 Programme is now live on the Congress website. A wealth of innovative and thought-provoking sessions awaits you! Now's the time to explore the Congress Programme, pick sessions of your choice and set your agenda.

Dive in! →

Early Bird Deadline Extended

The deadline for the #WLIC2023 Early Bird registration rate has been extended to 23 May. Don't miss this chance to save big!

IFLA Emerging Leader Grants

In 2023, IFLA is offering WLIC attendance grants to emerging leaders. These grants aim to empower and motivate young professionals to engage with the international library field. The grants specifically target emerging leaders in the library field 25 – 35 years of age and who are personal members of IFLA or staff of an IFLA institutional member.