This spirit is the core value and unity concept of the SCO, and it is also the ideological basis for its survival and development. Cooperation in the cultural field of the SCO always holds high the banner of "Shanghai Spirit" and draws strength and wisdom from it. At the same time, with rich practice, it constantly injects new connotation of the times into the "Shanghai Spirit", making it more deeply rooted in people's hearts and carried forward.
Under the guidance of the "Shanghai Spirit", the member states signed the programmatic document of the Agreement on Intergovernmental Cultural Cooperation among the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on the basis of equality and mutual respect. It laid a legal foundation for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to carry out multilateral cultural exchanges and cooperation. The agreement states that all parties should abide by the norms of international law and their respective domestic laws.
Cultural protection
Cooperate in the fields of music, stage art, plastic arts, movies, archives, library and museum affairs, cultural heritage protection, folk crafts, practical decorative arts, amateur entertainment and acrobatics and other creative activities. Under the framework of this agreement, since 2008, all parties have successively signed and implemented five annual cultural cooperation plans, which comprehensively, reasonably and effectively promoted the implementation of all the contents of this agreement.
Since 2020, in the face of the sudden and sustained spread of the COVID-19 epidemic. The cultural circles of the SCO countries unite and cooperate to overcome the difficulties. Close communication and coordination between cultural authorities, actively share experiences and practices in dealing with the epidemic in the cultural field, and help cultural institutions in various countries get rid of the epidemic dilemma. Through joint artistic creation and online exhibitions, literary and art workers unite people's hearts and gather strength to inject confidence and motivation into the people of all countries to join hands in fighting the epidemic.