© Office of the President of the UN General Assembly
Countries call for inclusion of culture in development policies at High-level Event at UN
24 May 2019
On 21 May, a High-level Event on Culture and Sustainable Development was held at United Nations Headquarters in New York, bringing together Ministers of Culture and experts in the fields of arts education, the creative economy and indigenous knowledge.
The event marked the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, and was convened by H.E. Ms María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the United Nations General Assembly, in partnership with UNESCO. It was mandated by the UN General Assembly through Resolution 72/229 on “Culture and sustainable development”, with the goal of highlighting the importance of culture in the formulation of national, regional and international development policies and cooperation instruments. The discussions focused in particular on the role of culture in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We must celebrate and protect cultural diversity as the greatest wealth we possess, to ensure inclusive and peaceful societies” said Ms Espinosa Garcés. “Sustaining and strengthening the identity of peoples, their cultures, their diversity, are the best tools to face global challenges.” She also emphasized that this High-level Event occurred at a critical moment, a few months prior the High-level Political Forum to be held in September 2019, which will review progress toward the implementation of the SDGs.
The debate stressed the importance of anchoring culture in all development policies, including those on education, science, communication, health, environment and tourism. It also put a spotlight on the role of the creative economy in accelerating sustainable development. Ernesto Ottone R., UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, highlighted the cross-cutting power of culture for sustainable development and stressed that “Placing culture at the heart of development is an investment in the future.” He also called on countries who engage in the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) exercise to integrate and reflect culture as a critical dimension for the attainment of the SDGs.
Mr Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vanuatu, noted that culture will be reflected in the country’s VNR, saying “In Vanuatu, we have a pillar of sustainable development, which is culture. Culture is at the heart of the social and economic development systems.”
The importance of safeguarding cultural and natural heritage, mainstreaming culture in education, and integrating traditional knowledge and skills to preserve biodiversity, foster environmental sustainability and resilience to climate-related disasters were among the topics debated.
Government representatives and experts shared recent culture and development initiatives, both at policy level and in practice, focusing, for example, on the nexus between culture and education. “This link is empowering and powerful, particularly for indigenous peoples, for whom culture becomes a foundation of education” said Mr Teanau Tuiono, Project Coordinator, Māori Medium Publishing at CORE Education. Others highlighted how indigenous knowledge supports the safeguarding of cultural and biological diversity, and referenced the International Year of Indigenous Languages (2019).
Panellists also emphasized that the cultural and creative industries provide opportunities for decent work, poverty reduction, social resilience and gender equality, and noted that these industries generate an estimated 30 million jobs worldwide, representing 3% of global GDP. Initiatives presented showcased the ability of culture to tackle global challenges inducing those linked to climate mitigation, biodiversity, heritage conservation, quality education, youth participation, job creation, innovation and social cohesion.
Links to recordings:
· Opening remarks by the President of the United Nations General Assembly