Group of Friends of Culture and Development
Statement by Ambassador Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Permanent Representative of Peru
to the United Nations, on behalf of the Group of Friends of Culture and Development,
on the Declaration of the Post 2015 Development Agenda
New York, February 18th 2015
Mr. Co-Facilitator,
I am honoured to read this statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of Culture and
Development, comprising 29 countries from all regions1
.
The Group wishes to recall that the General Assembly, in its resolution 68/223, has
emphasized the importance of the contribution of culture to the economic, social and
environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Moreover, it has highlighted its role
as an enabler and its potential as a driver of sustainable development.
The international community has thus recognized the important contribution of culture to the
achievement of national development objectives and the internationally agreed development
goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. Furthermore, it has acknowledged the
contribution of culture to inclusive economic development and its role in promoting
sustainable patterns of production and consumption and inclusive societies through the
dissemination of information and education. Moreover, the international community supports
all initiatives aiming at the creation of a universal culture of peace, as culture is also
considered as a vehicle to foster tolerance.
The referred resolution consequently encouraged the international community to give due
consideration to culture and sustainable development in the elaboration of the post-2015
development agenda. That was in 2013. In December 2014, in its resolution 69/230 the
General Assembly noted the contribution of culture to sustainable development as contained
in the proposal of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, and
encouraged all relevant stakeholders to continue to give due consideration to culture and
sustainable development in the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda.
Following up on such mandate, our Group of Friends of Culture and Development welcomes
that the Report of the Open Working Group of the General Assembly on Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), which shall be the main basis for integrating sustainable
development goals into the post-2015 development agenda, while recognizing that other
inputs will also be considered, reflects in several targets the crosscutting contribution of
culture to sustainable development. In this regard, we look forward for fully integrating
culture in the post 2015 development agenda.
Consistent with the Rio+20 Outcome Document, the OWG report acknowledged the natural
and cultural diversity of the world and recognized that all cultures and civilizations can
contribute to sustainable development. Building up on such language and on other relevant
instruments adopted on a consensual manner, the Group of Friends of Culture and
Development proposes to further reflect in the Declaration of the post 2015 development
agenda the value of culture as an enabler and its potential as a driver of sustainable
development.
1
Albania, Argentina, Barbados, Bangladesh, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Morocco, Mongolia,
Nepal, Peru, Republic of Korea, Senegal, Qatar, Tunisia, Turkey and Vietnam.We therefore acknowledge the key contribution of culture to poverty reduction, job creation,
economic resilience and social inclusion, as well as its role to ensure ownership of
development policies. We also acknowledge the power of culture to contribute to quality
education, creative industries, sustainable urban development and greater environmental
sustainability through local and traditional knowledge. We further acknowledge the diversity
of the world and recognize that cultural diversity is a force of innovation and creativity for all.
We have before us an opportunity to build up a global culture of sustainable development
through the promotion of sustainable patterns of consumption and promotion. Hence, we
must mobilize the power of culture to catalyse the transformative change we seek across the
economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
Thank you.
to the United Nations, on behalf of the Group of Friends of Culture and Development,
on the Declaration of the Post 2015 Development Agenda
New York, February 18th 2015
Mr. Co-Facilitator,
I am honoured to read this statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of Culture and
Development, comprising 29 countries from all regions1
.
The Group wishes to recall that the General Assembly, in its resolution 68/223, has
emphasized the importance of the contribution of culture to the economic, social and
environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Moreover, it has highlighted its role
as an enabler and its potential as a driver of sustainable development.
The international community has thus recognized the important contribution of culture to the
achievement of national development objectives and the internationally agreed development
goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. Furthermore, it has acknowledged the
contribution of culture to inclusive economic development and its role in promoting
sustainable patterns of production and consumption and inclusive societies through the
dissemination of information and education. Moreover, the international community supports
all initiatives aiming at the creation of a universal culture of peace, as culture is also
considered as a vehicle to foster tolerance.
The referred resolution consequently encouraged the international community to give due
consideration to culture and sustainable development in the elaboration of the post-2015
development agenda. That was in 2013. In December 2014, in its resolution 69/230 the
General Assembly noted the contribution of culture to sustainable development as contained
in the proposal of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, and
encouraged all relevant stakeholders to continue to give due consideration to culture and
sustainable development in the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda.
Following up on such mandate, our Group of Friends of Culture and Development welcomes
that the Report of the Open Working Group of the General Assembly on Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), which shall be the main basis for integrating sustainable
development goals into the post-2015 development agenda, while recognizing that other
inputs will also be considered, reflects in several targets the crosscutting contribution of
culture to sustainable development. In this regard, we look forward for fully integrating
culture in the post 2015 development agenda.
Consistent with the Rio+20 Outcome Document, the OWG report acknowledged the natural
and cultural diversity of the world and recognized that all cultures and civilizations can
contribute to sustainable development. Building up on such language and on other relevant
instruments adopted on a consensual manner, the Group of Friends of Culture and
Development proposes to further reflect in the Declaration of the post 2015 development
agenda the value of culture as an enabler and its potential as a driver of sustainable
development.
1
Albania, Argentina, Barbados, Bangladesh, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Morocco, Mongolia,
Nepal, Peru, Republic of Korea, Senegal, Qatar, Tunisia, Turkey and Vietnam.We therefore acknowledge the key contribution of culture to poverty reduction, job creation,
economic resilience and social inclusion, as well as its role to ensure ownership of
development policies. We also acknowledge the power of culture to contribute to quality
education, creative industries, sustainable urban development and greater environmental
sustainability through local and traditional knowledge. We further acknowledge the diversity
of the world and recognize that cultural diversity is a force of innovation and creativity for all.
We have before us an opportunity to build up a global culture of sustainable development
through the promotion of sustainable patterns of consumption and promotion. Hence, we
must mobilize the power of culture to catalyse the transformative change we seek across the
economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
Thank you.
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