UN Decade for Cultural Development

UN Decade for Cultural Development
Name	UN Decade for Cultural Development
Established	1988
Dissolved	1997
Parent	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Related	World Decade for Cultural Development, UNESCO General Conference, International Year of Disabled Persons

UN Decade for Cultural Development The UN Decade for Cultural Development was an international initiative launched to promote cultural policies, heritage protection, and creative industries across member states under the auspices of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the United Nations General Assembly. It sought to link cultural diversity with sustainable human development agendas advanced by actors such as World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and regional bodies including the European Union and the Organization of African Unity. The Decade catalyzed dialogue among institutions like the International Council on Monuments and Sites, International Theatre Institute, and national ministries such as the Ministry of Culture (France), while intersecting with programs of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and World Intellectual Property Organization.

Background and adoption

The proposal emerged from policy debates at the UNESCO General Conference and recommendations by the World Commission on Culture and Development, chaired by Jacques Delors and including figures such as Gaston Berger and Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow, reflecting precedents like the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity and the 1972 World Heritage Convention. Advocacy by networks including International Council of Museums, International Federation of Film Producers Associations, and civil society groups influenced the United Nations General Assembly resolution that formally proclaimed the Decade, aligning with earlier initiatives such as the United Nations Decade for Women and the UN International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. Debates in the UN General Assembly and within the UNESCO Executive Board negotiated language on cultural rights referenced by advocates like Amartya Sen and critics like Samuel P. Huntington.

Objectives and priorities

The Decade articulated priorities to reinforce cultural identity and safeguard heritage sites like Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, and Old Havana, support creative sectors exemplified by institutions such as Royal Opera House and Hollywood, and advance policy frameworks modeled on instruments including the 1970 UNESCO Convention and later the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. It prioritized cross-sectoral cooperation with development financiers such as the International Monetary Fund and philanthropic actors like the Ford Foundation, while promoting capacity-building in national agencies including Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia and regional organizations like the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. Cultural rights advocacy drew on jurisprudence from bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights and declarations like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Implementation and activities

Operationalization involved pilot projects supported by UNESCO field offices and partnerships with research centers such as the Smithsonian Institution, Getty Conservation Institute, and universities including University of Oxford and Sorbonne University. Activities ranged from conservation of sites like Petra and Stonehenge to festivals featuring companies such as Bolshoi Ballet and Comédie-Française, capacity-building workshops run with British Council and Alliance Française, and training programs in media supported by BBC and NHK. Technical cooperation mobilized experts from ICOMOS, IUCN, and ICCROM for risk management at heritage sites affected by crises involving actors such as Iraq and Bosnia and Herzegovina, while cultural statistics initiatives coordinated with UN Statistical Commission and research by scholars at Harvard University and University of Tokyo.

Member states and UNESCO's role

Member state participation included commitments from governments such as France, Mexico, India, Nigeria, Japan, and Brazil, with national focal points in agencies like Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura and Ministry of Culture (Japan). UNESCO acted as secretariat, convening conferences at venues like the Palace of Nations and producing policy guidance in collaboration with UNIDO and UNCTAD. Regional commissions including the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and the UN Economic Commission for Europe were engaged, and multilateral donors like the European Commission and bilateral partners such as Canadian International Development Agency funded projects. Partnerships were formed with private foundations like Rockefeller Foundation and corporate sponsors including Sony Corporation in media-related initiatives.

Impact and assessments

Evaluations conducted by UNESCO and independent auditors such as World Bank reviews and academic studies at University College London documented successes in heritage conservation at sites like Chan Chan and in policy adoption by states including Kenya and Peru. Cultural industries data collection improved via coordination with UNCTAD and national statistical offices, while networks such as the World Monuments Fund scaled preservation efforts. Legacy effects are evident in instruments like the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and in national cultural policies inspired by practices in Spain and South Korea, though outcomes varied across contexts such as Haiti and Mozambique.

Criticisms and controversies

Critics from organizations including Amnesty International and scholars at Columbia University argued the Decade sometimes privileged monumental heritage over living traditions associated with communities like the Mapuche and Roma, echoing disputes over World Heritage Committee listings that affected indigenous claims in locations such as Uluru. Accusations of North–South imbalances involved donors like United States and Germany, and debates around commercialization implicated firms such as Disney and concerns raised in forums including World Social Forum. Tensions emerged over intellectual property questions involving World Intellectual Property Organization and cultural appropriation litigations heard in courts like the International Court of Justice and national tribunals in Canada and Australia.

Category:UNESCO programs