What and why?

In countries affected by fragility, conflict and violence, culture is often at risk from neglect, loss and destruction. Climate change too is beginning to take its toll, creating new pressures on landscapes and societies. In these contexts, culture is often overlooked as a vector for development and recovery. This is a mistake. Culture holds the potential of mitigating developmental challenges such as gender inequality, climate change and peacebuilding.

We endorse the protection of tangible and intangible cultural heritage and preservation of traditional knowledge for sustainable change. We believe that cultural programmes have the capacity to drive powerful change, especially for underrepresented groups such as women and indigenous communities. Culture programmes can expand creative economies, empowering socially marginalised groups through cultural jobs and livelihoods.