Liechtenstein joined the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, UN Covenant I) on 10 March 1999. This guarantees – in addition to rights to freedom, civil rights and basic economic rights – the right to education and to participate in cultural life.
For a small state like Liechtenstein, the discussion of values and ways of life is a question of national identity. The promotion of art and culture is part of what contributes to the formation of society and state. It is part of innovation and forward thinking in terms of new technologies, new media and new generations.
People participate in communities based on a variety of factors such as ethnicity, origin, religion, faith, beliefs, language, gender, age, social class, occupation, interests and geographical location. When it comes to mobilising energies for new thinking in an increasingly globalised, complex and digitalised world, cultural rights are indispensable.
The normative framework of cultural rights and ethics is laid down in the Liechtenstein Constitution: Articles 27 to 44 set out the fundamental rights. These include the right to equality between men and women (Article 31, para. 2), freedom of belief and conscience (Article 37, para. 1), freedom of expression in speech, writing and image (Article 40), as well as freedom of association and assembly (Article 41). Article 40 also includes freedom of the press and rejection of censorship. However, the Constitution does not define a national cultural purpose.
Modernising access to culture and social cohesion are key issues going forward with the implementation of the UN Agenda 2030, the Education Strategy 2025plus and the Liechtenstein Digital Agenda (see 2.1).
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