Culturefor Development

The power of

Culture is

Culture, in all its dimensions, is a fundamental component of sustainable development.As a sector of activity, through tangible and intangible heritage, creative industriesand various forms of artistic expressions, culture is a powerful contributor to economicdevelopment, social stability and environmental protection. As a repository of knowledge, meanings and values that permeate all aspects of ourlives, culture also defines the way human beings live and interact both at local andglobal scales.

A source of identity, innovation, and creativity.

A set of distinctive spiritual and material, intellectual and

emotional features of a society or a social group.

A complex web of meanings,relationships, beliefs, and values that

frames people’s relationship to the world.

Acquired through the process of cultivation and improvement of the individual,

especially by means of education.

An evolving dynamic force relevant to all societies, local or global.

Influenced by and in turn influences world-views and

expressive forms.

Located in a time and a place. While culture in the abstract is a set

of mental constructs, it is rooted in a place at a moment in history and is always local.

A renewable resource if it is carefully nurtured for it to grow and flower.

When neglected, it is easily lost or destroyed.

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Aspects of Culture Crucial to Development

Social practices including language,religion, education, family practices,decision-making systems, and institu-tional processes.

Practices and processes ofinhabitation rooted in localknowledge, accumulated over time,including practices, knowledge andtechnology of farming, nutrition,health, childbirth, building materials,natural resource use, and environmentalmanagement.

Traditional livelihoods related tocultural forms and local practices whoseskills and knowledge may be passed onfrom generation to generation

Distinctive cultural forms andartistic expressions including buildingsand architecture, literature, art, dance,music, crafts, storytelling, and films.

Global ethics that celebrate culturalpluralism and dialogue while promot-ing human rights, equality for all indi-viduals and groups including genderequality, and democracy.

Dissemination of knowledgethat fosters creativity, innovation, and the intellectual development ofindividuals and groups while discardingharmful practices contrary to globalethics.

Nurturing and safeguarding ofthe distinctive cultural forms as well asthe processes of their production.

Culture is precisely themedium through which individuals express their abilityto fulfil themselves and is therefore an integral part of development.

Investing in Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Dialogue

UNESCO,2009

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Globalization, with its ever-increasingsocial and economic interdependen-cies, provides opportunities for development, while also presentingenormous challenges to local commu-nities, livelihoods, and identities.

Global challenges such as conflicts

and wars, endemic poverty, thefinancial crisis, rapid urbanization,and environmental degradation haverendered people all the more vulnerableto change and to the impacts of natural disasters, and have led to theprogressive loss of local cultures.

Culture, in all its multiple forms, isessential to address these global challenges, through its role in eco-nomic growth, in human development,as a storehouse of environmentalknowledge, and as a symbolic force to bring stability and meaning to communities everywhere. Principles ofinclusiveness and global ethics enableeven the most marginalized individuals

and groups to participate in develop-ment processes and benefit fromthem. Culture provides solutions thatrespond to local specificities, as a driver of development in its own rightas well as a desirable outcome ofdevelopment efforts.

Cultural Approaches to Global Challenges

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Culture Industries: Culture is apowerful global economic engine generating jobs and income with avalue of US$1.3 trillion in 2005. Globalcultural industries account for morethan 7% of global GDP. During the1990s, the cultural industries grew atan annual rate twice that of serviceindustries and four times that of manufacturing in OECD countries (2009 UWR).

However, infrastructure investmentsare needed in the South to enhanceand support cultural industries.

Cultural Tourism: Cultural tourismis 40% of global tourism revenue in(2007 UNWTO). Heritage, especially,UNESCO World Heritage sites, producesrevenues from visits, sale of localcrafts, music and cultural productsgenerating employment for com-

munities. International tourism represented approximately 10% of theEU’s GDP in 2004 (2009 UWR).

Culture a Vehicle for Economic Development

Traditional Livelihoods: Culturallyembedded livelihood practices helpretain local knowledge and generateemployment while enabling local economic development. These mayvary from building crafts to agricultureand natural resource management.

Opportunities for economicgrowth through micro-enter-prises: Cultural goods and servicesoften need low capital investment bybuilding on materials and skills available within the community. Thesuccesses of micro-credit enterprisesthat benefit women have been espe-cially valuable.

Cultural infrastructure and institutions: Universities, museums,cultural centres, cinemas, theatres,craft centres, and other such institu-tions are significant generators ofemployment and revenues. A museumsuch as the Tate Modern is estimatedto bring in revenues of over £100 millionto London every year.

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Mutual appreciation of diversityamong cultures creates positive andconstructive engagement. Dialogue pro-motes mutual understanding, knowl-edge, reconciliation, and peace,which are essential for social stability.

Reconstructive force of culture:Intercultural dialogue brings peace andpossibilities of reconciliation in theevent of conflicts. Following a disaster,culture in all its forms helps communi-ties reconstruct their disrupted livesand restore psychological well-being.

Symbolic force of cultural heritage: Culture is a well-spring ofhope, enabling a deep sense of belonging.

Social cohesion through culturaltourism: Cultural heritage not onlygenerates income, but also buildssocial cohesion, mobilizing communi-ties around its care and management.Cultural festivals enhance dialogue.

Empowerment of women:Intercultural dialogue with its focus onthe respect of difference rather thanstandardization empowers women byacknowledging their role as both ‘value

carriers’ and ‘value creators.’ Womenin local cultures carry the responsibilityof interpreting cultural forms, practices,and their meanings as well as transmit-ting them to the new generations.Women are also empowered by anacknowledgment of difference andreinforcement of their identities.

Safeguarding distinctive culturalforms and the processes of their production contributes to strengthen-ing the social capital of a communityand creates a sense of stewardshipand trust in public institutions.

Create an enabling environ-ment to achieve the MDGs: Bypreventing conflict, building peace,protecting the rights of women andmarginalized groups, intercultural dialogue can help create conditionsfor achieving the MDGs.

Culture a Vehicle for Social Cohesion and Stability

…Since wars begin in theminds of men, it is in the mindsof men that the defences ofpeace must be constructed.

UNESCO Constitution, 1945

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Cities and cultural landscapes:In an urbanizing world, managementof natural and built heritage need to embrace their interrelationships by involving local communities in conservation initiatives.

Ecological challenges: A varietyof current environmental challengessuch as depleting water sources, shrinking forest covers, and disappearingspecies, rooted in a disregard for theenvironment, may be addressed bypositive practices embedded in localcultures that value a balance betweennatural and human worlds.

Innovation and creativity:Culture builds resiliency by reinforcingthe abilities of people to be innovativeand creative especially in the adversityof disasters and conflicts.

Local building materials andtechnologies: Schools, health centres, and housing built with localmaterials, knowledge and technologiesare climatically effective, of lower cost,and use labour from the community.They engender identity, acceptance,and ownership, rather than structuresimported from outside the region.

Culture and globalization:Communities empowered to definetheir identities and assert local values

are better able to engage with the forcesof globalization to ‘indigenize’ them ontheir terms and benefit from them.

Agents of development:Heightened awareness of values andassets, enables people to becomeauthors of their own development.

Values and beliefs shape the relationship of a people to their natural environ-ment and the ways they manage and impact it. Cultural values, local know-ledge, and traditional practices of environmental management can bevaluable resources towards achieving ecological sustainability.

Culture a Vehicle for Environmental Sustainability

Culture a Vehicle for Resilient Communities

Cultural and ecological diversity: Biological and culturaldiversity are intricately connected to a wide range of interactions betweenhumans and nature, that are interde-pendent and mutually reinforcing.

Traditional systems of environmental management:Accumulated traditional knowledgeand the community practices of environmental management are fundamental to sustainability andessential for the survival of the placeand people. Development approachesand programs have often failed torecognize that societies categorized as ‘underdeveloped’ have in fact beenliving sustainably for generations in a specific locale.

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� Mali’s culture sector accounts for5.8% of employment in 2004 and2.38% of GDP in 2006. (2007 IBF for the EC)

� Colombia’s craft production bringsan annual income of US$400 million(including US$40 million in exports).This helps to provide workers in thesector income ranging from US$140to US$510 annually. (2009 UWR)

� Morocco’s crafts production forms19% of its GDP (including exports estimated at US$63 million). (2009 UWR)

� Thailand’s craft-workers are estimatedto be 2 million with almost a halfworking full-time. (2009 UWR)

� In Columbia, 650,000 touristsbrought in revenues of US$800 million.(2009 UWR)

� In Morocco, the tourism industrycontributed 6.5% of GDP. (2009 UWR)

� Brazil’s ‘creative’ sector has contributed 6.7% of GDP in 1998.

� In Guatemala, cultural industriesgrew at a rate of 7.3% annually from2001to 2005. This was a higher ratethan that in most other sectors of theeconomy. Cultural industries alsoemployed 7.14% of the labour force(2008 UNCTAD, Creative economy report)

Cultural industries including

cultural goods, services, activities,

cultural tourism, and museums

have also contributed significantly

to economies that are modernized

and advanced.

� Australia’s 15 World heritage areascontribute to the GDP with overAU$12 billion, and more than 40,000jobs. (2008 DEWHA)

� UK’s GDP owes over £20 billion toheritage tourism and £5 billion annuallyto music. (2010 MLA)

� EU’s television, cinema, music, performing arts and entertainmentgenerated €654 billion or 2.6% of theGDP in 2003 employing 5.8 millionpeople in 2004.( 2006 EC)

Economic Contributions of Culture Did You Know?

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Espouses human developmentrather than economic growthalone: A vision of developmentembracing culture as an essential partof the enlargement of choice, providesfor human dignity and well-being, andan enhancement of freedom.

Promotes plural pathways todevelopment: Promoting develop-ment appropriate to a people, place,and their culture empowers them toshape their futures and the means toattain them. Development projects thatimpose visions from the outside impairthe capacity of people to contribute tothe well-being of their communities.

Prioritizes people in develop-ment processes and outcomes:Development as linear economicgrowth is incompatible with complexsocial and political dimensions, dam-aging the very foundations of culturalidentities and values.

Values and safeguards culturalheritage: Heritage, both tangibleand intangible, is a legacy, a storehouseof knowledge, and the identity of a place, and a people. Identifying andsafeguarding must happen alongsideeconomic development since heritage,both tangible and intangible, is fragileand often unwittingly destroyed or lost in the rush to modernize.

Seeks local solutions to globalagendas: Cultural approaches helpto make development strategies relevant at the local level.Development responsive to place and culture empowers communities to engage with globalization on their own terms.

Recognizes and promotessocial justice and equity withinthe framework of global ethics whileenhancing cultural rights and identities.Enabling democratization empowerscommunities to exert an influence onthe outcomes of development.Empowering women, indigenous andmarginalized groups to assume theirrightful role in society enables them tobenefit from development programs.

Nurtures spiritual and intellectual wealth towardseradicating poverty: Poverty isnot only a lack of economic resourcesbut also a lack of rights, influence, status, and dignity. Altering percep-tions of insecurity and of statusenables the poor to rise out of povertyas does recognizing innovation andcreativity.

Culture-Sensitive Development

Cultural diversity creates arich and varied world, whichincreases the range of choicesand nurtures human capacitiesand values, and therefore is amainspring for sustainabledevelopment for communities,peoples and nations.

UNESCO Convention on the Protection andPromotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

2005

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1980s and early 1990s: interna-tional efforts at modernization and development recognized the need to place people at the centre of development processes and with that the significance of culture.

1982: The World Conference onCultural Policies in Mexico constituteda landmark for the acknowledgmentof the indivisibility of culture anddevelopment.

1988-1998: UNESCO launched the World Decade on Culture andDevelopment to advocate for the contribution of culture in national andinternational development policies.This lead to establishing internationalstandard-setting instruments anddemonstration tools, such as culturalstatistics, inventories, and mapping ofcultural resources, as well as to anincreasing focus on cultural industries.

1990: UNDP launched the publication of the Human Development Reportemphasizing the idea of developmentas the enlargement of choices

1992-1996: UN World Commissionon Culture and Development prepareda report espousing an expanded viewof cultural diversity to recognize allforms of difference that excludedpeople from the development processesand outcomes.

1998: Intergovernmental Conferenceon Cultural Policies for Development in Stockholm recognized cultural diversity as essential for developmentemphasizing the value of cultural pluralism and creative diversity.

1999: UNESCO – World BankIntergovernmental Conference,“Culture Counts: Financing Resourcesand the Economics of Culture inSustainable Development” in Florenceacknowledged the cultural capital asbeing crucial to advancing sustainabledevelopment and economic growth.

2001: UNESCO’s UniversalDeclaration on Cultural Diversity recognized culture and cultural diversity as an ethical imperative andas vital to achieving economic andsocial development.

2005: UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of theDiversity of Cultural Expressions acknowledged culture’s contribution to sustainable development and put culture and development together at its core.

A Short History of Culture and Development

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UNESCO’s Cultural Mandate

NORMATIVE INSTRUMENTS

UNESCO has developed a variety

of normative and standard setting

instruments including seven

Conventions that support the

elaboration of national cultural

policies. They include:

� Protection and Promotion of theDiversity of Cultural Expressions (2005)� Safeguarding of the IntangibleCultural Heritage (2003)� Protection of the UnderwaterCultural Heritage (2001)

� Protection of the World Cultural andNatural Heritage (1972)� Prohibiting and Preventing the IllicitImport, Export and Transfer of CulturalProperty (1970)� Protection of Cultural Property in theEvent of Armed Conflict (1954)� Universal Copyright Convention(1952, 1971)

Operational Guidelines andPoliciesPolicy documents and guidelines helpto make the normative instrumentsoperational on the ground. Together,they articulate UNESCO’s vision for aculture-sensitive model of develop-ment and assist Member States intheir implementation.

International Funds to SupportConventionsInternational Funds have been established in least developed anddeveloping countries to support programmes related to some of theUNESCO Conventions at national,regional, and sub-regional levels, such as the International Fund forCultural Diversity, the World HeritageFund, and the International Fund forIntangible Heritage.

UNESCO, the sole UN agency with a cultural mandate, has devised policiesand actions that demonstrate culture’s unique contribution to develop-ment and establish a strong conceptual framework for it.

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Global Alliance for CulturalDiversity Intended to create partnershipsbetween private, public, and civil society to strengthen local culturalindustries for development. Between2002 and 2009, 50 project partnershipswere implemented. Projects haveranged from broadening the access forAfrican music to regional and interna-tional markets to a programme in Côted’Ivoire to build a cultural hub forregional and economic activities.

World Heritage In the framework of the WorldHeritage Convention, UNESCO conductsa large array of programmes and projects that foster local developmentthroughout the world; these range

from environmental protection (biodiver-sity conservation, forests, marine areas,small islands), to historic urban landscapes, cultural tourism, eco-tourism, and cultural heritage conser-vation. Through these projects,UNESCO assists countries in protectingtheir cultural and natural heritage, improving their national policies andtheir management practices, buildingcapacities, training, and raising awareness amongst communities, thus contributing to job’s creation and economic revenues’ generation.

UNESCO’s CulturalProjects and Programmes for Development

UNESCO has been engaged with many development projects and programmes from cultural industries torapprochement for furthering social and economic development. The projects help to generate jobs and revenues, strengthen traditional livelihoods, foster the emergenceof a dynamic cultural sector and enhance existing ones. UNESCO engagements in all regions of the world vary widely from supporting earth architecture conser-vation by women in Africa, to healing through art education for children after the tsunami in Indonesia,and from fostering creative economies in cities worldwide to promoting ecomuseums in rural areas.The funds for these projects come mainly from contributions by the UNESCO Member States. Some havealso benefited from private donations.

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Intangible HeritageIn the framework of the Conventionfor the Safeguarding of IntangibleCultural Heritage, UNESCO conductsprojects such as the revitalization oftraditional performances in Djemâa el-Fna Square in Marrakesh, traditionalclothes’ making in Uganda, and thesafeguarding of the Ifuagao farmers’chants in the rice terraces of thePhilippines; these projects play a crucial role in providing the local communities with sustainable economicand subsistence means while consoli-dating their cultural identities.

Cultural Heritage forReconstruction andReconciliationCultural heritage provides people affected by conflict or natural disasterwith a sense of identity and belongingthat gives meaning to the efforts toreconstruct their nation and to returnto normalcy. UNESCO projectsdeveloped in Ethiopia (Aksum Obelisk),Bosnia and Herzegovina (MostarBridge), Cambodia (Angkor),

Afghanistan (Bamiyan Valley), and Iraq(Museum collections) show howcultural heritage can help people inpost-conflict situations find commonground and shared purpose. In anotherinstance, intangible cultural heritageshared across nations, such as the Novruz celebration, covering a vastgeographical area from Azerbaijan toIndia and Iran, promotes the values ofpeace and solidarity and contributes tofriendship among peoples and variouscommunities. UNESCO also promoteslinguistic diversity education to fosterintercultural dialogue and expand opportunities in a globalized world.

MDG Achievement Fund (MDG-F) – Culture and DevelopmentThematic Window Within the MDG-F Culture andDevelopment Thematic Window, whichis led by UNESCO, 18 UN inter-agencyprogrammes demonstrate thecontribution of culture to developmentat national level with an aim to speedprogress towards achieving theMillennium Development Goals. Funded by Spain for an amount of US$95 million, these programmes fostersocial inclusion and poverty reductionthrough the promotion andenhancement of cultural resources. This is achieved by encouraging theinclusion of minorities anddisadvantaged groups in social, politicaland cultural life, and by harnessing thetremendous potential of the culturalsectors for job creation, economicgrowth and poverty reduction.

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Putting Culture to work for the MDGs the UNESCO contribution

Culture can contribute to the MDGs by helping to build strong, self-reliant communities. UNESCO’sprojects integrate cultural approaches that help to make poverty alleviation strategies highly relevant andmore effective at the local level since they respond to local specificities.

Poverty and hunger: A project topromote intangible living heritage inMorocco that includes traditionalmusic, dance, and ceremonies providesalternative employment to seasonalagricultural workers of the Draa Valley.This has enabled them to feed theirfamilies during lean periods.

Strengthen local systems offood production: The informalhome gardens in urban Amazonia asmuch as the terraced rice fields of thePhilippines and Indonesia are culturallandscapes representing local systemsof environmental, social and economicmanagement. When such culturallandscapes are enhanced, they enablea diversity of food production systemsespecially those that directly benefitwomen and children.

Universal primary education: Aproject for primary education targetingindigenous communities in thePeruvian Andes, demonstrated thatintroducing local knowledge in curriculahelps young people take pride in theircommunity’s values and build theirtrust in governmental institutions.

Gender equality and women’sempowerment: A series of sub-regional creative workshops were setup in Cameroon, Madagascar, andMali to encourage women businessmanagers to play an active role in thedevelopment of cultural industries.The workshops also provided womencrafts workers training in innovation,product quality, and marketing.

Improve maternal health andcombat HIV and other diseases:Joint programmes of UNESCO withWHO and UNICEF along with others promote responsiveness to culturalbeliefs and practices in public health care projects. This improves their effectivenesssuch as one in Tanzania aimed at reduc-ing maternal mortality and neonataldeaths. Traditional arts and communitymuseums have been effective in raisingawareness about HIV/AIDS. An exhibition of drawings at the FoumbanCommunity Museum in WesternCameroon, and radio soap operas inSoutheast Asia are examples of these.

Environmental sustainability:Engagement with poor and vulnerablepeople, such as coastal communitiesat risk of floods, hurricanes, and rising

sea-level, enables their enhanced protection from climate change risks. A project that integrated preserving theenvironment and biodiversity at theMidongy-Befotaka National Park inMadagascar engaged local communitiesin balancing the availability of drinkingwater with the necessity of preservingnatural resources. The project includes amonitoring system in order to regularlyassess the evolution of social, economic,and environmental indicators linked tothe MDGs.

Global Partnership: A jointUNESCO-EU programme providesdemand-driven assistance focusing onthe building of an enabling regulatoryenvironment for the creation, produc-tion, and distribution of culturalindustries in 63 developing countries.

More broadly, UNESCO is buildingpartnerships with international development institutions such as theWorld Bank, the EIB and the OECD to encourage the integration of culture into the global developmentagenda on both the policy and operational levels.

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Place culture at the heart of development: Culture is an essentialinvestment for peace and stability, and is a prerequisite for the success of human devel-opment. A more visible and effective inclusion of culture in development programmesat local, national, and international levels is critical for sustainable development.

Embrace diversity in approaches and development models as well as incultural forms and practices.

Adapt to market environments: Adapting of traditional cultural goods tomodern markets requires technical and design support, as well as legal and financialexpertise. Policies and measures are necessary to create an enabling market environ-ment essential for the success of micro-enterprises and creative producers.

Integrate culture in country-level policies: Fully acknowledgingnational and sub-national engagements is critical to promote effective culture-sensitivepolicies and strategies for development with UNESCO’s international conventions servingas a guide. UN country teams can further integrate culture explicitly in joint program-ming exercises in pursuit of the countries’ development priorities.

Invest in capacity building: Capacity building of local communities and ofsupportive bureaucracies is a prerequisite for sustainable communities.

Invest in culture: Culture requires long-term investments into the physical andtechnical infrastructure, training, and capacity building in order to realize economicand social potential.

Promote culture-based projects: Projects to create and strengthenculture cultural industries and cultural tourism need to be included in bilateral andmultilateral efforts that assist countries in the pursuit of their development objectives.

Facilitate access to funding: Innovative financing and public-private part-nerships are essential to improve access to capital for cultural entrepreneurs.Traditional forms of investing in culture such as subsidies are insufficient. Culturereceives only 1.7% of ODA, even though it represents 2-6% of GNP in many countries.

Develop guides and tools: UNESCO’s Culture Diversity Programming Lens isan important tool to help develop national strategies. UNESCO’s Policy Guide on cultureand creative industries provides policy makers with a hands-on approach to strengthenthe creative economy. UNESCO’s suite of Culture and Development Indicators is a toolto assess and describe the contribution of culture to development processes.

UNESCO’s leadership is critical to enable pathways for integratingculture in development efforts.

Future Directions and International Commitments

Culture First

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