This monthly Tracker is produced by UNESCO to monitor 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
Culture is a powerful force that bridges differences and brings people together, underpinning social cohesion, peace and security. Notwithstanding this unifying function, the past 20 years have witnessed a growing instrumentalization of culture for divisive purposes. This exploitation of culture has not only contributed to more protracted crises and relapses into conflict, but also the denial of human rights, including cultural rights.
The Cultural Policy Highlights section features the latest measures at national and local level.
With culture increasingly at the frontline of conflicts, the Cutting Edge section looks at how societies are being prompted to rethink the role of culture in peacebuilding. We draw on UNESCO’s cross-cutting work, and examine how broader trends have introduced push-pull factors that are making safeguarding cultural heritage and promoting creative expressions more than a cultural issue, but one of human rights, peace and security.
The Regional Perspectives section covers the latest policy trends and developments, and features the regional and sub-regional organizations, as well as efforts to promote peace and social cohesion through culture.
The section Culture in the 2030 Agenda looks at culture-based initiatives by Member States in their Voluntary National Reviews in relation to peace, conflict prevention and human rights.