CARACAS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan Culture Minister Ernesto Villegas on Thursday called on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to adopt measures to protect the cultural rights of peoples from the harmful impact of sanctions imposed by other countries.

UNESCO should offer a "mechanism to protect the cultural rights of peoples, their heritage and cultural diversity, from unilateral coercive measures," otherwise known as sanctions, Villegas said during a session of the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2022), being held in Mexico City.

Sanctions can "severely" impact communities, not only in Latin America but worldwide, said Villegas.

"Those who have calculated the numbers say that half of humanity is being subjected to sanctions," he added.

Venezuela supports MONDIACULT's goal to officially recognize culture as a "global public good" in a joint declaration to be issued at the end of the conference, the official said.

The Venezuelan government has repeatedly denounced the negative impact that U.S.-imposed sanctions have had on its people, both socially and economically.