As regional dynamics are gradually gaining traction around the world, pushing towards greater alignment and integration, the role of regional and sub-regional IGOs has proven instrumental in supporting the design and implementation of public policies. Public policies must be part of a multi-stakeholder alliance to maximize efforts towards shaping a more sustainable future. In this context, States, together with sub-regional, regional and interregional institutions, including Development Banks, are joining efforts towards concerted action to support on one hand, the development of the cultural sector per se, as an effective asset to the economic and social development, while at the same time fostering the integration of culture from a cross-cutting perspective into the broad spectrum of sustainable development.
This page is dedicated to regional trends and features developments on cultural policies and sustainable development. It reflects converging multistakeholders' efforts and partnerships federated by UNESCO aimed at strengthening and anchoring culture sector strategies into regional commitments and plans, notably to support sustainable development prospects. With a view to facilitate knowledge sharing and data collection at the regional and sub-regional levels, UNESCO and its decentralized offices, work closely with IGOs and Development Banks, to monitor trends, identify key challenges and opportunities in each region of the world, and influence policy processes that strengthen culture's enabling contribution to accelerate SDGs implementation. Such partnerships led to the more systematic compilation and analysis of data on the linkages between culture and sustainable development; the expanded policy dialogue on culture at the regional level, notably through regional or subregional ministerial fora; and the streamlining of policy advice on the impact of culture on sustainable development from an intrinsic and cross-cutting perspective.