Culture and sustainable development A/RES/74/230 and of fostering intercultural understanding and dialogue, mutual listening and learning and an ethic of global citizenship and solidarity, Recalling its resolution 73/130 of 13 December 2018 on the return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin, aware of the importance attached to the return of cultural property that is of fundamental spiritual, historical and cultural value, and expressing deep concern about the continuing illicit trafficking in cultural property and its damage to the cultural heritage of nations, Recalling also the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, on 13 September 2007, 6 and its call for States to enable access to and/or the repatriation of ceremonial objects and human remains in their possession through fair, transparent and effective mechanisms developed in conjunction with indigenous peoples concerned, Recalling further the principles of the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7 and acknowledging that cultural diversity is a source of enrichment for humankind and an important contribution to the sustainable development of local communities, peoples and nations, supporting their ability to play an active and unique role in development initiatives, Recognizing the importance of multilingualism as a means of promoting, protecting and preserving the diversity of languages and cultures globally and that genuine multilingualism promotes unity in diversity and international understanding, and recognizing also the importance for the peoples of the world to communicate in their own language, Recalling its resolution 71/178 of 19 December 2016, in which it proclaimed the year beginning on 1 January 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages, to draw attention to the critical loss of indigenous languages and the urgent need to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages, Noting the fourth international conference on the theme “Preservation of world languages and development of linguistic diversity in cyberspace: context, policy, practice”, held under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Yakutsk, Russian Federation, from 1 to 5 July 2019, Recalling the concerns expressed in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 8 on the underrepresentation of women in decision-making positions in the area of culture, which has prevented women from having a significant impact in the area of culture and development, Recalling also the importance of the promotion of national cultures, artistic creation in all its forms and international and regional cultural cooperation, and reaffirming in this regard the relevance of strengthening national efforts a nd regional and international cooperation mechanisms for cultural action and artistic creation and recognizing respect for cultural pluralism, as defined by the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, as policies for the inclusion and participation of all citizens that guarantee social cohesion and the vitality of civil society and peace, enhance cultural development and contribute to sustainable development, __________________ 6 7 8 19-22502 Resolution 61/295, annex. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Records of the General Conference, Thirty-first Session, Paris, 15 October–3 November 2001, vol. 1 and corrigendum, Resolutions, sect. V, resolution 25, annex I. Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4–15 September 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annexes I and II. 3/9