Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Culture in the Arab Region: Insights from UNESCO Cairo Office’s 2025 Webinar Series

Artificial Intelligence is increasingly becoming a driving force in the transformation of cultural practices in the Arab region, offering new opportunities to preserve, teach, and create culture in innovative ways. In response to this emerging reality, from January to June 2025, the UNESCO Cairo Office has organized a six-month webinar series-Artificial Intelligence and Culture: A Lead-up Activity to MONDIACULT 2025-brought together around 40 leading global and regional experts and engaged over 400 attendees from across the Arab region and beyond. Attendees included officials from Ministries of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, and Communications and Information Technology; representatives from universities and national commissions for UNESCO; professionals from museums, galleries, ICOM, and ICOMOS; members of diplomatic missions; and local NGOs.

Exploring AI's Impact Across Six Cultural Domains

The webinar series synthesizes diverse regional and thematic perspectives on how AI is transforming the cultural sector, with a focus on six key areas:

· AI and Documentary Heritage - 21 January 2025

· AI and Intangible Cultural Heritage - 21 February 2025

· AI and Underwater Cultural Heritage - 27 March 2025

· AI and Cultural and Creative Industries - 29 April 2025

· AI and the Protection of Cultural Property in Emergencies - 27 May 2025

· AI and World Heritage Sites - 19 June 2025

· AI and Culture in the Arab Region: Regional Vision from Cairo - 25 June 2025

These six thematic areas align closely with UNESCO's normative instruments and strategic frameworks, including:

· The 2015 Recommendation concerning the Preservation of, and Access to, Documentary Heritage including in Digital Form

· The 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

· The 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage

· The 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

· The 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Protocols

· The 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property

· The 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage

· The 1980 Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist

By anchoring the discussions in these international instruments, the series emphasized the importance of ethical, inclusive, and future-ready cultural governance in the digital age.

Final Hybrid Session: A Regional Vision from Cairo

The series culminated in a hybrid event, one-day workshop, titled AI and Culture in the Arab Region: Regional Vision from Cairo, held in Cairo on 25 June 2025. This final session brought together more than 80 policymakers, researchers, and cultural professionals to articulate a regional vision for harnessing AI in the service of cultural sustainability, innovation, and education. The event showcased how AI is being used to preserve, interpret, and create culture in innovative ways across the Arab region.

Upcoming Publication: A Strategic Contribution to MONDIACULT 2025

Capturing the insights and outcomes of the six-month webinar series that explored the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), cultural heritage, and creative industries, the UNESCO Cairo Office has compiled a document titled Artificial Intelligence and Culture: A Contribution from UNESCO Office in Cairo to MONDIACULT 2025, to be launched soon. This document shall serve as a substantive input to MONDIACULT 2025, documenting emerging practices, regional initiatives, and models of international collaboration. It reinforces UNESCO Cairo Office's leadership in shaping responsible and innovative digital transformation across the cultural sector in the Arab region.