This monthly Tracker is produced by UNESCO to monitor the role of culture in public policy with regards to the UN Sustainable Development Agenda. It highlights developments within national and regional contexts, as well as emerging debates on culture's contribution to sustainable development. Drawing on a variety of sources, it provides a broad overview of cultural policy trends worldwide at the national, regional and international level and looks at ways in which countries integrate culture into other policy areas.
AT A GLANCE
We launch this January issue against the backdrop of the International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. The creative economy – powered by the cultural and creative industries – is worth some US$509 billion each year. But more than its economic value, the creative sector brings significant social and environmental weight to sustainable development. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage, the cultural and creative industries are faced with enormous challenges the world over. Pre-existing inequalities continue to deepen, foreboding a real risk of devastating economic consequences for the creative sector.
The Cultural Policy Highlights section provides a snapshot of the latest policy measures at national and local level.
In the Cutting Edge section, we explore the creative economy in cultural policy, tracing its evolution in international development and how governments are leveraging its potential today. Yet to what extent has the momentum generated by the creative economy translated into concrete policy adaptation and progress?
The Regional Perspectives section covers the latest policy trends and developments, and features the regional and sub-regional organizations, as well as regional banks, that are shaping policy at regional level today.
The section Culture in the 2030 Agenda takes a look at how development gains from the cultural and creative industries are being approached by Member States in their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to track progress on the SDGs.