The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) General Secretariat and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture will jointly host the 2025 OIC Cultural Festival, branded Baku Creative Week, in the Azerbaijani capital from December 5 to 11, according to an announcement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
The international festival will convene thousands of participants, including ministers of culture, designers, filmmakers, creatives, and young innovators from OIC member states and beyond. OIC cultural, heritage, and media institutions will take part through dedicated pavilions showcasing programs and productions, underscoring a comprehensive platform for cultural dialogue and creative collaboration.
Context and Background
Headquartered in Jeddah, the OIC serves as a leading multilateral forum for cooperation across the Muslim world and partner countries, including in the cultural and creative spheres. The General Secretariat’s partnership with Azerbaijan situates the festival at the intersection of regions that span the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe, enabling broad participation and diverse exchange.
Baku’s role as host aligns with its established cultural calendar and capacity to welcome international delegations. By bringing cultural policymakers together with practitioners across film, design, heritage, and digital media, the festival framework reflects the OIC’s emphasis on shared values, intercultural understanding, and the advancement of creative industries as engines of sustainable development.
Key Details
As outlined in the official announcement, the festival aims to enhance cooperation among member states in culture, heritage, cinema, creative industries, and digital media. It also seeks to strengthen communication and mutual understanding, building cultural bridges between Azerbaijan and countries around the world, particularly OIC member states. This approach positions the week-long program as both a policy-level forum and a working marketplace for ideas and partnerships.
Participation by OIC cultural, heritage, and media institutions through dedicated pavilions will allow agencies and organizations to present ongoing initiatives, new content, and collaborative opportunities. The inclusion of ministers of culture alongside creative entrepreneurs and youth innovators is intended to foster practical linkages—connecting cultural policymaking with production, distribution, and skills development.
By operating under the banner of Baku Creative Week, the festival is structured to encourage cross-sector collaboration: film festivals and content showcases converging with design exhibitions, heritage preservation initiatives, and digital storytelling. This multidisciplinary format reflects the creative economy’s evolving landscape, where technology, tradition, and talent development work in tandem.
Implications and Impact
The festival’s inclusive design is intended to catalyze new partnerships in content co-creation, heritage curation, and cultural entrepreneurship. For participating countries, such cooperation can translate into deeper networks among filmmakers and designers, pathways for co-productions, and greater visibility for cultural assets. The emphasis on youth and digital media aligns with global trends in creative skills development and audience engagement.
Regionally, the event underscores the OIC’s role in convening member states around shared cultural priorities. With the General Secretariat based in the Kingdom, the festival highlights Saudi Arabia’s facilitation of multilateral cultural dialogue and its commitment to constructive international engagement. For host city Baku, the gathering is poised to draw visitors and industry delegations, supporting tourism, hospitality, and related services while strengthening Azerbaijan’s cultural links with the broader OIC community.
Internationally, the festival complements broader efforts to preserve cultural heritage, expand the creative economy, and foster people-to-people connections. The focus on media and digital platforms can help amplify stories from across OIC member states to global audiences, encouraging cross-border understanding and cultural literacy.
Vision 2030 Alignment
The announcement aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives to elevate culture and the creative industries as pillars of diversified economic growth and global engagement. By supporting OIC-led cultural cooperation and positioning Jeddah-based institutions at the heart of multilateral initiatives, Saudi Arabia advances a forward-looking agenda that empowers youth, nurtures talent, and promotes cultural exchange.
As the 2025 OIC Cultural Festival approaches, the Kingdom’s ongoing investments in culture, heritage, and creative ecosystems reinforce its role as a trusted partner in international cultural diplomacy. Through platforms like Baku Creative Week, Saudi Arabia contributes to a dynamic, interconnected cultural landscape