Cultural diversity cultural heritage material and popular culture: UNESCO and the Construction of a Global Universalism

This article attempts to situate the emergence and develop- ment of a discursive formation responsible for the appearance of a new global universalism. The ethical and moral imperative of this universalism is the defense and promotion of values such as cultural diversity. To un- derstand the political and cultural implications of this universalism, this article elects as its empirical axis the performance of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), highlighting the actions of the organization in coordinating and facilitating a symbolic and discursive transnational transit involving governments, nongovern- mental organizations and political groups.