[Bamoqubumo] The evolution of the global sustainable development agenda and international cultural policies: An evidence-based study of the history of events

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To: Based on the archives of the United Nations and UNESCO, with important events and key documents as evidence-based clues, the article roughly connects the international community's focus on culture and development, cultural diversity and dialogue among cultures, cultural heritage and sustainable development for more than half a century.

Narrative interpretation of several related issues, and then focus on the global development agenda successively promoted by the United Nations system, and analyze the profound impact of the concept of sustainable development on the field of cultural governance at the international level.

In turn, we observe how cultural policies are aligned with the global process of sustainable development from the perspective of development, with a view to clarifying the basic path and direction for national cultural governance, especially cultural heritage protection, to further horizontally align with the 2030 Agenda and its sustainable development goals.

Keywords: cultural diversity; cultural heritage protection; sustainable development; Agenda 2030; international cultural policy

2021 is a special year marking the 50th anniversary of China's return to the United Nations and UNESCO.

The impact of the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic sweeping the world on mankind has not yet passed, the divisions suffered by the international community are still disturbing, and the field of cultural heritage protection is also facing multiple challenges.

It was this year that the two major intergovernmental organizations with the mission of building lasting peace for mankind-the United Nations (UN) and UNESCO (UNESCO, hereinafter referred to as "UNESCO")-both celebrated the 76th anniversary of their respective founding.

They must not only face the common catastrophe of mankind and come up with countermeasures, but also promote the "Transformation Our World: 2030" Sustainable Development Agenda (hereinafter referred to as the "2030 Agenda").

In this context, it has become meaningful to think about the connection and problem areas between cultural policy and sustainable development.

It should be noted that using an evidence-based approach to explore the entry of culture into the international agenda of "development" will inevitably require simultaneous examination of the main action lines of the United Nations system, especially UNESCO, over the past 70 years, and their corresponding international policy background.

Pursuing the main threads through complex documents will inevitably face many challenges.

Introduction: Cultural Dimension of Development

"We, the people of the United Nations, are determined to save future generations from the scourge of war that twice in this generation has endured unspeakable tragedies..." In such a solemn and tragic oath, the United Nations was proclaimed in 1945.

Over the past 76 years, the United Nations has always regarded peace as its mission, development as its goal, and fairness as its essence.

It has been committed to "promoting international cooperation to solve international problems of an economic, social, cultural or human welfare nature, regardless of race, gender, language or religion, promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all mankind" and enhancing the well-being of "us"-all people.

To this end, from the 1960s to the 1990s, the United Nations General Assembly (hereinafter referred to as the "UN General Assembly") successively adopted four "International Development Decade" strategies.

In this short process, the United Nations system and the international community have jointly launched a series of ambitious action plans, created development concepts, formed development ideas, and revised development paths centered on a single economic growth model.

In particular, Taking social justice and intergenerational equity as priorities not only establishes a "people-centered" development concept, but also cultivates a common vision for the international community to move towards a better life through "sustainable development".

However, as issues such as economy and development, environment and development, human rights and development, population and development, women and development, food and development, water security and development, human settlements and development, science and development, social divide and development, poverty eradication and development have entered different agendas of the United Nations system, the globalization crisis facing various parts of the world is intensifying day by day.

The three major "global issues" that the Club of Rome has continuously warned the international community through more than a dozen research reports since the 1970s-population explosion, resource shortages and environmental pollution-have been getting worse.

When the results of the previous two International Development Decades were re-examined, development strategies based mainly on quantitative economic growth goals had already revealed certain limitations.

As a result, various debates have also emerged around the role of social and cultural factors in the development process.

The United Nations system turned its attention from New York to Paris, where there is a tall shadow wall filled with "peace" written in various languages around the world.

"War originates in people's minds, so it is necessary to build barriers to defend peace in people's minds." This is the mission statement that UNESCO has solemnly written into its Constitution since its establishment.

As the largest and most critical "thought laboratory" in the world, UNESCO is also recognized as the "brain" of the United Nations system and has always adhered to the mission of its predecessor, the International Institute for Intellectual Cooperation.

To this end, the intergovernmental organization has made efforts in three areas: thinking and defining concepts, developing cultural policies, and formulating normative instruments to establish an ethical and legal framework acceptable to the international community.

Over time, cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and sustainable development have together formed the three ideological cornerstones that support the organization in building lasting peace for mankind.

What is culture? What is cultural development? What is the cultural dimension of development? These questions actually point directly to what is development? What is sustainable development? In UNESCO's early action area on "culture and development", the following two meetings are landmark events.

August and September 1970, the "Intergovernmental Conference on Institutional, Administrative and Financial Aspects of Cultural Policy" was held in Venice (referred to as the "Venice Conference") broadened the scope of the concept of culture and emphasized that development must be considered in the interaction between cultural development and economic and social development.

Whether in cities or rural areas, technological progress and certain aspects of economic activity may not only endanger architecture and natural heritage, but also the social structure and cultural life, especially the full development of individuals.

Finally, it is recommended that cultural policies should be coordinated and unified with environmental, communication and education policies.（SHC/MD/13）

In 1982, the World Conference on Cultural Policy (MONDIACULT) was held in Mexico City (referred to as the "Mexico City Conference"), aiming to review and summarize the knowledge and experience accumulated in cultural policy and practice since the 1970s, and promote research on basic cultural issues to develop new guidelines to promote cultural development.

The outcome document of the conference, the Mexico City Declaration on Cultural Policies (referred to as the "Mexico City Declaration"), gave a new definition of the long-debated concept of "culture", interpreting culture as "the sum of the different characteristics unique to a society or a social group", including not only art and literature, but also lifestyles, basic human rights, value systems, traditions and beliefs." This definition is widely adopted in the international context of cultural policy.

At the same time, the declaration also formed a new definition of "cultural heritage", covering both material and intangible achievements that human creativity can be reflected.

The final report of the meeting pointed out that the concept of heritage covers all the values expressed in culture in daily life, and refers to "intangible heritage"(CLT/MD/1) in nine places.

In addition, the meeting statement also proposed a number of cultural policy principles, measures and suggestions, one of which is "Thinking on the Cultural Dimension of Development":"Development must be humanized, with the ultimate goal of the individual's dignity as a human person and responsibility to society.

Development means that everyone and everyone have access to information and opportunities to learn and communicate with others."（22C/94，para22）

Since then, UNESCO has been committed to analyzing and studying the "cultural dimension of development" and even directly taking culture as the foundation of society and economy, deriving an ideological picture of "all-round development of people", and generally adopting a "culturally sensitive approach" among departments, sowing the seeds of ideas for defending peace in consistent local actions, making many of its flagship programs and inter-departmental collaboration based on respect for cultural diversity and the ensuing intercultural dialogue.

It also covers targeted analytical inputs, technical assistance, policy recommendations and other routes to protect and inherit cultural heritage, promote the diversity of creativity in cultural expressions, and provide a baseline action framework for Member States and the international community.

In short, as an intergovernmental intellectual partner, UNESCO has always included the three keywords of culture, heritage, and development in policy formulation, and is accompanied by discussions and actions on cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, directly or indirectly intertwined with a series of sustainable development strategies in the United Nations system.

Even if "culture" finally surfaced in the "2030 Agenda", UNESCO and its member states still spare no effort to explore strategies and seek "putting culture at the core of development" in the intertwined international agenda and goal framework.

Policy entry points, despite repeated advances and recessions, are unswerving.

1."Our Common Future": The Changing Development Concept

In November 1983, the United Nations established the World Commission on Environment and Development (WECD).

Gro Harlem Brundtland, then Prime Minister of Norway, was entrusted with an important task and led the working group to collect a large amount of detailed evidence.

It took four years of exploration to complete the research report "Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development"(A/42/427, also known as the "Brundtland Report").

Its opening is impressive: starting from the lonely planet that mankind first saw in space, it emotionally describes the serious consequences of environmental degradation, and calls for a fundamental change in the development model aimed at economic growth.

Only by fundamentally changing the development model that aims at economic growth can mankind and the earth avoid the disaster.

In 1987, after the report was submitted to the General Assembly, it attracted widespread attention from Member States and the United Nations system.

The "sustainable development" defined in the report and its principles of intergenerational equity have since become a conceptual model for international governance:

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of contemporary people without endangering the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

There are two key concepts included here:

The concept of "needs", especially the basic needs of the world's poor, should be given overwhelming priority;

and the insight that the state of technology and social organization places limits on the ability of the environment to meet current and future needs.（Chapter3，para.2）

In the past, many people who cared about culture and development regretted that this world-renowned and historic environmental report did not mention culture and did not see the connection between culture and development.

However, as long as you carefully review it, it is not difficult to find that its writing, even its discussion or evidence analysis are not without cultural implications, such as:

These communities accumulate a vast treasure trove of traditional knowledge and experience that connects humanity to its ancient origins.

The disappearance of this knowledge is a loss to the entire society.

Because people can learn a lot from their traditional skills in sustainably managing very complex ecosystems.

A terrible irony is that as formal development moves deeper into rainforests, deserts and other isolated environments, it often destroys the only cultures that can thrive in these environments.（Chapter4，para.74）

If we start with terms such as "traditional technology,""traditional knowledge,""women" and "indigenous people," we can find many more examples to show that these scientists from the World Environmental Commission, including Vice Chairman Ma Shijun from China, have not completely left culture outside the "environment" of the planet Earth.

They have indeed discussed the interaction between development and culture sporadically.

In December 1986, the UN General Assembly adopted the "World Decade of Cultural Development Action Plan 1988-1997"(hereinafter referred to as the "Decade of Action").

Its four main goals are positioned to: understanding the cultural dimension of development; affirming and enriching cultural identity; Expand cultural participation; and promote international cultural exchanges.

(A/RES/41/187) However, it is also true that culture has long been outside the development equation.

In 1992, the World Conference on Environment and Development in Stockholm adopted Agenda 21, which further established environment, economy and society as the three pillars of sustainable development and as a new strategy leading to the third millennium of mankind, but did not mention culture.

In 1993, with the support of UNESCO, a research report "A Planet of Multicultures" co-authored by systems philosopher Ervin Laszlo and a group of independent experts convened by him was published, focusing on cultural diversity and its impact on the future of mankind.

The "Introduction" written by Laszlo constitutes the epistemological orientation of this discussion: "In the process of development, diversification is followed by integration.

In fact, the development process is completed by integration.

But integration and diversification are not always balanced; at various stages of the process, either the former or the latter may dominate.

A stage of self-correction is necessary then; when integration dominates, diversification tends to be preferred, and when diversification prevails, integration moves to." The "integration" here is not only the balance between unity and diversity, but also the realization of unity in diversity."Because diversity and unity are both determined by culture, people's pursuits can only be achieved through cultural dialogue and cooperation." The "third part" of the book, entitled "A Shared Future: Multiple Cultures-One Future", can also be seen as a dialogue with the Brundtland Report.

In December 1986, as soon as UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor took office, he and United Nations Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar jointly advocated the establishment of the World Commission on Culture and Development (hereinafter referred to as the "UNESCO").

In response to the spirit of the UN General Assembly resolution on the Decade of Action (A/RES/46/158), the Council is responsible for drafting a global report on "Culture and Development" and formulating recommendations on urgent and long-term actions to meet cultural needs in the context of development.

In order to coordinate with the United Nations in implementing the Fourth "Development Decade (1991-2000)", the Council submitted "Our Creative Diversity: Report of the World Commission on Culture and Development" to UNESCO and the United Nations General Assembly in November 1995 (CLT.96/WS/6REV.) A new explanation of the interaction between "culture and development" is provided.

The report emphasizes that when culture is understood as the foundation of development, the concept of "cultural policy" itself needs to be greatly broadened.

Cultural diversity is not just a wealth that needs to be protected, but also a resource that needs to be developed.

Most importantly, the report's reaffirmation of cultural diversity closely follows the "all-round development of people" and remains the most classic expression in the field of cultural policy.

From the mid-1980s to the dawn of the new millennium, the five resolutions on "Culture and Development" successively adopted by the UN General Assembly are all related to the above-mentioned "Decade of Action".However, the influence of "culture" is almost invisible in important action plans such as the Declaration on the Right to Development (1986), the Rio Declaration (1992), Agenda 21 (1992), and the Declaration of the United Nations Millennium Summit (1995).

In the late 1990s, the definition of "sustainable development" more clearly focused on economic, environmental and social issues."Sustainability" or "sustainable development" also presented an evolving framework, but basically maintained the core ethics of intergenerational justice; the more important question is how to manage risks while leaving room for choice? Therefore, the solution must return to the problem of people who create or control risks.

In fact, the United Nations Programme for Planning and Development (referred to as "UNDP ") already stated in its 1990 Human Development Report that" human development is a process of expanding people's choices." For human development is not merely the formation of human capacities…it is also about the use of those capacities, whether for work, leisure, or participation in political, economic, and cultural affairs…The focus of development must be on the human person.

That is to say, we must return to the fundamental problem of "cultural man".

In 1997, the UNESCO General Conference adopted the Declaration on the Responsibilities of Present Generations towards Future Generations, reaffirming the core principles of "intergenerational equity":"present generations have the responsibility to ensure that the needs and interests of present and future generations are fully protected" and "present generations should be mindful of the protection of the cultural diversity of humankind, with full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms." The present generation has the responsibility to identify, preserve and protect the tangible and intangible cultural heritage and to transmit this common heritage to future generations."（29C/Resolution44）

In March and April 1998, the Stockholm Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies for Development adopted the Action Plan on Cultural Policies for Development (A/RES/53/321).

The purpose of the meeting was twofold: first, to explore and identify practical measures to be taken at the national, regional and international levels, while providing an intersectoral framework to link cultural policy with human development; second, to strengthen UNESCO's leadership in cultural policy formulation.

In addition to proposing twelve principles, the meeting recommended that member states select the following five action goals: making cultural policies one of the main contents of development strategies; promoting creation and participation in cultural life; strengthening policies and practices to maintain and develop cultural heritage (tangible and intangible, mobile and immovable) and promote cultural industries; promoting cultural diversity and language diversity within and for the information society; allocating more human and financial resources for cultural development.

In the 1990s, the great debate on cultural diversity intensified, and it was also deeply related to the persistence and spread of violence and conflicts around the world.

Competition over scarce land, water and other natural resources and minerals has been one of the factors contributing to the proliferation of armed conflicts, and similar atrocities resulting from ethnic cleansing, indiscriminate killings in the name of God and the perception that war is rooted in threats to diversity have been heavily inscribed in human history as the "infamous 1990s"(A/54/546).

Following the proclamation of 2000 as the International Year for the Culture of Peace in November 1997, the General Assembly proclaimed 2001 as the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations in August 1998 and 2001 - 2010 as the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World in November 1998.

At the same time, the international community recognizes that peace is much more than the absence of conflict and requires a positive, robust and participatory process that encourages dialogue and resolves conflicts in a spirit of mutual tolerance and cooperation.

On 13 September 1999, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on a Culture of Peace (hereinafter referred to as the Declaration), recognizing the important role played by UNESCO in promoting a culture of peace.

The Declaration states that "a culture of peace consists of a set of values, attitudes, traditions, and behavioral styles and lifestyles"(Article 1) and "is conducive to promoting lasting peace and achieving more comprehensive and sustainable development"(Article 3)

On October 29, 1999, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami pointed out in a speech to the UNESCO General Conference that "since there is almost no regression in the process of intellectual development, the result is the realization of a broad and permanent peace, which includes both different cultures, religions and civilizations, and peace between mankind and nature." I believe that peace between mankind and nature is the most important thing at present." Such a statement can also be fully understood as a cultural metonymy of development, echoing the Brundtland report for 12 years: in a broad sense, sustainable development strategies aim to promote harmony between people and between people and nature.

In any case, the Brookfield Report is the first environmental research report to elaborate on the interdependence of mankind and the planet, and it is not outdated.

In particular, the title of the Brindisi report has been interpreted into a classic freeze-frame: using "we" to point directly to the common destiny of mankind, while arousing reflexive thinking of intergenerational ethics.

2."The future we want": From cultural diversity to sustainable development

At the beginning of the 21st century, as the globalization process accelerates integration in the economic, financial and technological fields, the international community has increasingly realized that the peace and security of all countries depend at least equally on economic prosperity, social justice and ecological stability.

Among other factors, the main factors that pose environmental threats include: global warming and the resulting sea level rise, drought, desertification, extreme weather, man-made disasters, natural disasters, water shortages and water pollution, biodiversity loss, Over-exploitation of natural resources, the emergence of new diseases, etc.

These issues all pose a major threat to peace and security around the world, and put many fragile intangible heritage at risk.

They also introduce people who are generally anxious about cultural homogenization and identity crises into unprecedented two-way thinking: How to maintain and manage diversity while learning to live together? The prejudice that equates diversity or differences with divisions, confrontations, hostility and even the root causes of conflicts and wars has been continuously severely refuted in the ongoing dialogue among cultures and civilizations in the United Nations system.

Cultural heritage, cultural diversity, and cultural creativity have become the core keywords in debates among all parties.

The shortcomings of culture's long-term annihilation in mainstream development discourse have become increasingly apparent, and the United Nations system has begun to take action in the development field.

In September 2000, heads of state and government adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration (A/RES/55/2) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, which listed respect for nature as one of the six basic values of international relations in the 21st century: "We must spare no effort so that all mankind, especially our future generations, will not live on a planet that has been irreparably damaged by human activities and whose resources are no longer sufficient to meet their needs"(A/RES/55/2).

The declaration talks about "culture" everywhere, but does not link it to development issues.

"Respect the equal rights of all people, regardless of race, gender, language or religion, and engage in international cooperation to solve problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian nature"(paragraph 4, values and principles);"Human beings have different beliefs, cultures and languages, and people must respect each other." Differences within and between societies should not be feared or suppressed, but should be cherished as a valuable asset of mankind.

A culture of peace and dialogue among all civilizations should be actively promoted "(para.

6, Tolerance of Shared Values);" Strive to fully protect and promote the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of all in all our countries "(para.

25, Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance).

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted at the summit set universally recognized and measurable goals aimed at addressing extreme poverty and hunger, preventing deadly diseases, and expanding primary education to all children, among other development priorities.

In December 2000, the 55th session of the UN General Assembly adopted the first resolution on "Culture and Development" since the new century, which stated:"Bearing in mind the significance of cultural values and cultural diversity as important and fundamental elements of sustainable development","emphasizing the need to strengthen the potential of culture as a means to achieve prosperity, sustainable development and global coexistence", calling for cooperation with UNESCO to ensure the continued and effective implementation of the Action Plan on Cultural Policies for Development; further intensifying efforts to integrate cultural considerations into their development programmes and projects, thereby ensuring sustainable development with full respect for cultural diversity.

(A/RES/55/192)"Culture and development" subsequently became a sub-topic in the permanent topic of "Globalization and interdependence" at each session of the General Assembly.

The Economic and Social Council was responsible for organizing the debate.

The General Assembly also issued resolutions on "culture and development" and "culture and sustainable development" many times, and the Secretary-General also issued many special reports.

However, international development policies still did not fully reflect the connection between culture and development.

Furthermore, in the mainstream development agenda determined by different development goals and measures, culture remains a "bystander" or even an "absent" status, let alone material and intangible cultural heritage.

In the following years, UNESCO has intensively integrated culture and development issues into inter-departmental actions in its biennial plans and medium-and long-term strategies, and conducted systematic research on concepts and methods.

It has issued a series of guidelines, manuals and reports, and published series of books such as "Culture and Development" and "Culture and Sustainable Development", providing operational guidance for Member States and stakeholders from theory to practice.

The September 11 Incident broke out in 2001.

At that time, Huntington's "theory of the clash of civilizations" was still in its aftermath, but it was immediately brought back by various voices to the important agenda that the international community was dealing with.

Dialogue among cultures and dialogue among civilizations once again became the thematic agenda of the UN General Assembly debate.

In November of that year, the 29th UNESCO General Conference adopted the landmark Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (hereinafter referred to as the "Diversity Declaration "), and gave a profound description of cultural diversity: " Culture has different manifestations in different times and places.

Cultural diversity is a source of communication, innovation and creativity, and is as essential to mankind as biodiversity is to maintaining biological balance.

In this sense, cultural diversity is the common heritage of mankind and should be recognized and affirmed in the light of the interests of present and future generations." It was here that cultural diversity was first proposed as the "common heritage of mankind", and respecting and defending cultural diversity subsequently became a policy expression in the field of international cultural governance.

Today, the declaration appears to be an important step towards recognizing cultural diversity as a key dimension of sustainable development.

In 2002, UNESCO convened the third Roundtable of Ministers of Culture in Istanbul, Turkey, with the theme of "Taking stock of cultural diversity" and adopted the Istanbul Declaration, paving the way for the formulation and adoption of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) and the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005).

From August to September of that year, the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa adopted the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development (A/CONF.199/20 *), which recognizes that "our rich diversity is our common strength, and we are determined to ensure that it is used to build constructive partnerships to bring about change and achieve the common goals of sustainable development"(para.

16); At the same time, it was emphasized that "we recognize the importance of strengthening human unity and call for the promotion of dialogue and cooperation among different civilizations and peoples of the world, regardless of factors such as race, disability, religion, language, culture or tradition"(para.

17).

As a result, the importance of culture for development has been written into a high-level "political declaration".

In September 2010, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Millennium Declaration, the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly issued the outcome document of the High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals,"Keeping the Promise: Unite to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals"(A/65/L.1).

Seven of them mentioned "culture" and emphasized the contribution of culture to the realization of the Millennium Development Goals: "We recognize the diversity of the world and that all cultures and civilizations contribute to the enrichment of mankind.

We emphasize the critical importance of culture in promoting development and its contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals "(paragraph 16);" Cultural factors are important for development.

We encourage international cooperation in the cultural field to achieve development goals "(para.

66).

2010-2011 In 2001, the UN General Assembly adopted two resolutions on "Culture and Development", reaffirming the above important message, calling for "ensuring that culture is more visible and effective integrated and mainstreamed into development policies and strategies at all levels" and emphasizing the role of culture in sustainable development.(intrinsic contribution), which also specifically addresses the preservation and preservation of local and indigenous traditional knowledge and community practices in environmental management, as they are valuable examples of culture as a tool for achieving environmental sustainability and sustainable development, and enhance the synergy between modern science and local knowledge (A/RES/65/166).

The second resolution, issued shortly after the 10th anniversary of the Declaration on Diversity, also invited UNESCO to "assess how to maximize the role of culture as a catalyst for development, including by sharing information, exchanging best practices, collecting data, conducting various studies and using appropriate evaluation indicators, and implementing relevant international cultural conventions"(A/RES/66/208)

In June 2012, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (hereinafter referred to as the "Rio +20 Summit ").

This high-level meeting organized by the United Nations not only gave birth to the outcome document of the meeting,"The future we want"(A/RES/66/288, annex), adopted by heads of state and government, but also affirmed the importance of cultural diversity for sustainable development.

It recognized the interconnectedness between mankind and its ecosystems and cultural heritage, and also established a new type of partnership for promoting international cooperation and provided a platform for dialogue.

And "we" once again became a consensus term calling for integrated action.

The international community has begun to understand development issues in the above-mentioned priority areas from the perspective of culture's contribution to the three pillars of economy, society and environment.

In particular, the "Rio +20" Summit has taken a key step in integrating culture into the post-2015 development framework.

To be fair, from the Johannesburg Conference to the Rio +20 Summit, addressing environmental issues still occupies the top position on the development agenda.

To achieve sustainable development, we must first make rational use of earth's resources, and culture must become the center of development strategies.

Because culture affects the sustainable connections between people, between people and nature, and between people and the environment in society, and restricts human behavior.

UNESCO also recognizes that action initiatives and specific approaches to promoting development through culture must take into account local conditions and human factors, and more equitable results must also be considered in feasibility strategies.

Integrating culture into development policies and project planning will fundamentally enhance its development effectiveness and sustainability.

Time has turned around as the Millennium Development Goals expire.

The UN General Assembly is still brainstorming on the theme of "culture and sustainable development" under the agenda of "globalization and interdependence".

It has held many thematic debates in a row, emphasizing that culture can play an important role in maintaining peace, promoting development, and eradicating poverty, and called for culture to be regarded as the "driving force and driving force" of sustainable development and included in the post-2015 agenda, thus forming a series of resolutions.

The United Nations system has brought new hope to the international community to systematically integrate culture into development strategies and programs.

3."Realizing the future we all aspire to": Integrating culture into the post-2015 development framework

In accordance with the outcome document of the 2010 High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals, the Secretary-General of the United Nations established the United Nations System Task Working Group (hereinafter referred to as the "Working Group") in September 2011 after repeated consultations with all stakeholders to support the comprehensive preparations for the United Nations system-wide post-2015 agenda, and designated the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and UNDP to co-chair it.

The working group brought together a number of senior experts from more than 50 United Nations entities and international organizations to provide system-wide support for the post-2015 consultation process, including analytical inputs, professional advice and outreach activities.

The mulberry soil is cut across the country, and the silk and mulberry households are filled with rice.

The working group was quickly entrusted to UNESCO to conduct research on how to integrate culture into the post-2015 development agenda, and completed the thematic analytical report "Culture: Drivers and Drivers of Sustainable Development" in May 2012.

The report is divided into six parts, with the research background and main conclusions in the front, and specific recommendations in the back.

The main text is divided into four parts, namely "Culture-Driven Sustainable Development","Culture Promotes Sustainable Development","Beyond 2015, Exploring the Development Potential of Culture" and "A Normative Framework for Integrating Culture into the Development Agenda", and the conclusions are exactly the two keywords indicated in the report's title-culture as the driving force and driving force.

Although this report is short in length, the evidence and facts are sufficient: it is based on statistics, indicators and data and operational activities of the global cultural sector over the past ten years, plus a number of specific examples, and is deduced step by step, making great contributions to the entry of culture into the United Nations development agenda.

The main points can be summarized in the following five aspects: (1) Integrating culture into sustainable development strategies and policies, in addition to being a powerful social and economic resource, also promotes a people-centered and inclusive development approach;(2) culture is a horizontal and cross-cutting issue, and therefore affects all aspects of development;(3) considering the role of culture in sustainable development, due attention needs to be paid to processes and outcomes;(4) The post-2015 agenda should also recognize the specific contribution that culture, as a sector, including tangible and intangible heritage, cultural and creative industries, and cultural infrastructure, has made to achieving sustainable development, especially in the areas of poverty reduction, social inclusion and environmental sustainability;(5) To incorporate culture into the post-2015 agenda, a normative framework must be adopted to unify goals, definitions, mechanisms, tools, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, focusing on processes and results.

Finally, based on the fact and possibility space that culture has made many contributions to sustainable development, the report provides four specific suggestions on directional measures that can be taken in the future and provides schematic illustrations.

First, integrate culture into governance.

Integrate culture into the concept, measurement and practice of development to promote inclusive, equitable and sustainable development.

Second, learn from existing experience.

The cultural sector contributes to economic development and poverty reduction, supports sustainable cultural tourism, cultural and creative industries, cultural institutions and culture-based urban revitalization, creates decent work opportunities, drives local development and fosters entrepreneurship.

Build strong economic subsectors; at the same time, culture-led economic development must also consider protecting cultural assets, which are often fragile and non-renewable.

Third, use local knowledge to promote environmental sustainable development.

Integrate traditional knowledge and traditional practices into sustainable environmental planning and seek synergy and efficiency between traditional environmental practices and high technology.

Fourth, promote social cohesion through cultural construction.

Promote intercultural dialogue to leverage social cohesion and create an environment conducive to development; it can also leverage the potential of art to promote social cohesion and develop entrepreneurship, especially among young people, and in post-conflict and post-disaster situations.

In addition, the report also fully affirms the important role of UNESCO, such as institutional construction, the successive promulgation of seven cultural conventions, and global concerns such as combating the illegal transfer of cultural property, which are conducive to the formation of integration at the community, local, national and international levels.

Partnership for action.

In June 2012, the Working Group forwarded another report it had prepared,"Realizing the Future We All Want", to the Secretary-General.

In addition to discussing key issues and severe challenges in the three traditional development areas, the working group once again reiterated the main purpose of the previous report from a holistic perspective of development, especially the formation of a series of analytical opinions specifically focusing on "cultural factors" to highlight the importance of culture to development.

The summary here is as follows:

The post-2015 agenda should focus on systems that effectively manage and promote social development, ensuring universal coverage and delivery of high-quality services, including for the poorest (para.

68); and promoting equitable change, ensuring that people can peacefully choose their own value systems, thereby achieving full participation and empowerment.

Communities and individuals must be able to create and practice their own culture and enjoy the culture of others without coercion.

This requires, inter alia, respecting cultural diversity, protecting cultural and natural heritage, cultivating cultural institutions, strengthening cultural and creative industries, and promoting the development of cultural tourism (para.

71); in all these areas, technology transfer, capacity-building and international cooperation will be key to sustainable development, especially for developing countries.

"Sustainable, high-quality, viable cultural expressions and social development principles" will be the basic principles of sustainable development (para.

78); a culture of peace and tolerance and national capacity-building to ensure peace and security are crucial to all countries, especially in so-called "fragile States"(para.

90).

What is particularly striking is that the working group pointed out in its sharp wording that "business as usual" cannot be an option and that "change" must be carried out while moving towards comprehensive inclusiveness.

This report is one of the core outcome documents prepared for the adoption of the "2030 Agenda" by the United Nations summit three years later.

The word "change" that it loudly calls for has also become the key word in the title of the new agenda.

In addition, it needs to be emphasized that the two reports completed by the working group were later of crucial value for cultural heritage, including intangible cultural heritage, to seize the opportunity to formulate sustainable development policies to align with the 2030 Agenda.

Among the above evaluation opinions, there are two clues worthy of special attention: one is to seize the focus of "human development", and the other is to lay a key "foreshadowing" for culture to penetrate horizontally into various fields of sustainable development.

It would be appropriate to borrow the two pairs of subjects juxtaposed in the title of the first report-"A Driver and An Enabler"--which can be regarded as a driver and the second as a launcher.

4."Transform our world": Culture anchors the new agenda for sustainable development

On the long journey of the international community to integrate culture into sustainable development, 2013 is an important year that is particularly worthy and should be vividly described.

In May, with the full support of the China government, UNESCO organized an international conference entitled "Culture: The Key to Promoting Sustainable Development"(hereinafter referred to as the "Hangzhou Conference") in Hangzhou.

This is the first global forum organized by UNESCO since 1998 on the relationship between culture and sustainable development.

During the meeting, the Hangzhou Declaration: Putting Culture at the Core of Sustainable Development Policies was adopted (referred to as the "Hangzhou Declaration"), which proposes nine specific actions: (1) integrate culture into all development policies and programs;(2) promote cultural development and mutual understanding to promote peace and reconciliation;(3) ensure that all people have access to cultural rights to promote inclusive social development;(4) use culture to reduce poverty and promote inclusive economic development;(5) use culture to promote environmental sustainability;(6) Strengthen resilience to disasters through culture and respond to climate change;(7) Cherish culture, protect culture, and bring culture to future generations;(8) Use culture as a resource to achieve sustainable urban development and management;(9) Use culture to promote innovative and sustainable cooperation models.

Finally, the Hangzhou Declaration also pointed out that this conference incorporated the concepts of "harmony without difference" and "taking the past as the new", and further recommended that "a culture-centered goal be included in the post-2015 United Nations development agenda." This goal must be based on heritage, diversity, creativity and knowledge dissemination, and include clear goals and indicators to connect culture with all aspects of sustainable development."

In June, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention in 2003, UNESCO and the China government jointly held the Chengdu International Conference on Intangible Cultural Heritage, reaffirming its commitment to the basic premise of the Convention-Intangible cultural heritage is a guarantee of sustainable development and calls on all States parties to continue to work towards it.

(ITH/13/EXP/8) On the occasion of the Chengdu Conference, the thematic debate on "Culture and Sustainable Development" co-organized by the UN General Assembly and UNESCO in New York also started almost simultaneously.

then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivered a speech.

While affirming the Hangzhou Declaration, he bluntly pointed out:

Too many well-intentioned development plans ultimately fail because they fail to take cultural context into account.

This must be the overarching principle of all development efforts.

Moreover, development action does not guarantee adequate attention to people.

To mobilize people, we need to understand and accept their culture.

This means encouraging dialogue, listening to the voices of individuals, and ensuring that culture and human rights are integrated into the new sustainable development process.

However, the fundamental role of culture has not been fully recognized in the Millennium Development Goals, whether as a specific goal, as a general principle, or as a driving force.

In July, the 2013 Annual Ministerial Review Meeting of the Economic and Social Council was held to discuss the topic "Science, technology and innovation for promoting sustainable development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and leveraging the potential of culture in this regard".

This is the first time in its history that culture has been treated as one of the high-level topics.

Members of the Council reaffirmed that cultural diversity, as a rich source of human creativity, is an important force in promoting the sustainable development of local communities, people and countries; culture is a basic component of sustainable development and is both a source of identification and innovation for individuals and communities, and an important factor in social inclusion and poverty eradication.

In November, the World Forum on Culture held in Bali, Indonesia adopted the Bali Commitment: Culture as a Driver of Sustainable Development.

These incidents should be seen as follow-up actions inspired by the two aforementioned United Nations System Working Group reports.

In October 2014, the Third UNESCO World Forum on Culture and Cultural Industries was held in Florence, Italy, and adopted the "Florence Declaration: Promoting Cultural Expressions and Cultural Industries", which also adheres to the basic spirit of the "Hangzhou Declaration".

It goes without saying that the "Hangzhou Conference" has become an extremely critical watershed in integrating culture into the international process of sustainable development.

The following testimony can be found in the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly that year: "Taking note of the nine recommendations for action contained in the Hangzhou Declaration to place culture at the core of future sustainable development policies, we invite all Member States, intergovernmental organizations, and United Nations system organizations, relevant non-governmental organizations and all relevant stakeholders to consider these actions in the formulation of the post-2015 agenda."（A/RES/68/223）

The road is blocked and long, but the road will come soon.

In September 2015, in order to find global solutions, 193 Member States of the United Nations unanimously adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at their historic summit.

Subsequently, the "2030 Agenda" formulated by the United Nations System Working Group was adopted at the 70th session of the General Assembly (A/RES/70/1), issued a firm oath for the first time on the political agenda related to sustainable development of mankind: "We are committed to promoting understanding, tolerance, and mutual respect among different cultures, and establishing global citizenship ethics and shared responsibilities.

We recognize natural and cultural diversity and recognize that all cultures and civilizations can promote and are important drivers of sustainable development "(para.

36).

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 specific goals established in the new agenda are "integral and indivisible, and take into account the three aspects of sustainable development: economy, society and environment.""Sustainable development goals are interconnected and mutually reinforcing." In order to lift mankind out of poverty and deprivation, allow the earth to heal its wounds, and put the world on a sustainable and resilient path, the 2030 Agenda once again demonstrates the unprecedented courage and ambition of "we"-"We the People of the United Nations".

During the multi-year negotiation process, UNESCO has actively participated in developing a roadmap for this international action.

Following strong calls from Member States and local stakeholders, the 2030 Agenda integrates the role of culture through cultural heritage and creativity for the first time as a driving force for sustainable development to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals-Goal 11.4 clearly states "further efforts to protect and defend the world's cultural and natural heritage." In UNESCO's own words, while no goal is directly linked to culture, the role of culture is seen as a key factor in fulfilling the entire global agenda.

As an active participant in the formulation of this international development agenda, UNESCO will make its own specific contribution around 9 of the 17 Goals because of its recognized expertise and leadership in the areas covered by these 9 Goals.

Specifically: In the context of eradicating poverty (Goal 1) and reducing inequality (Goal 10), based on building partnerships to achieve all development goals (Goal 17), it is mainly responsible for coordinating the Education 2030 Agenda.

The purpose of this agenda is to develop fair and inclusive quality education and expand access to lifelong education for all (Goal 4).

Implementing these goals will increase efforts to promote gender equality and empower women and girls in accessing education, participating in decision-making (especially in the scientific community), becoming actors in transforming society, and opposing abuse of women (Goal 5).

Through research projects in water management and science and technology capacity-building, we are committed to improving the safe use of drinking water (Goal 6), and are involved in recognizing the role of science, technology and innovation (Goal 9) in the field of sustainable development.

Promote oceanographic knowledge and participate in improving sustainable ocean and coastal management capabilities (Goal 14).

Promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the management of natural resources through the establishment of world heritage sites and biosphere reserves (Goal 15), and make efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change (Goal 13).

Actively participate in building inclusive, safe and resilient cities, with a special focus on protecting human natural and cultural heritage (Goal 11).

In addition, the organization will also work to disclose information, call for the safety of journalists, and promote the concepts of good governance and the rule of law (Goal 16).

To sum up, the "leap" of culture is not only related to the sustainable development of economy, society and environment, but also, most importantly, culture is related to human "peace and security."As the new agenda states,"We are determined to promote the creation of peaceful, just and inclusive societies free from fear and violence." Without peace, there can be no sustainable development; without sustainable development, there can be no peace "(Preface).

In the final analysis, on the three-sail ship of "economy-society-environment" that "changes our world", peace and security are the real helmsman; and whether it is the sail or the rudder, every component is inseparable from building the sea of "peace culture".

In short, the 2030 New Agenda, with the banner of "change", is not only an action plan for Humanity, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership (5Ps), but also a transformative step to strengthen world peace and promote sustainable development.

Although culture is not directly reflected in the matrix of the Sustainable Development Goals, we should firmly believe that culture is the policy core of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The 38th session of the United Nations General Assembly (38C/48), when requesting UNESCO to "strengthen its efforts in cultural protection and the promotion of cultural diversity in incidents of armed conflict", expressed support for the proposition put forward in the resolution of the Council of the Executive Board of UNESCO-Intangible cultural heritage can effectively promote sustainable development in each of its three dimensions and help meet the needs of peace and security.

The international community must take necessary transformative measures to "put the world on a path of sustainable development and vitality", and the protection of intangible cultural heritage is crucial.

(196EX/29) This is because:

Culture is about who we are, and culture shapes our identity.

Culture not only contributes to poverty reduction, but also creates conditions for people-oriented, inclusive and equitable development.

Without culture, there can be no sustainable development.

Putting culture at the heart of development policies becomes a critical investment in the future of the world and a prerequisite for integrating the principles of cultural diversity into successful globalization processes.

Looking back at relevant literature, it is not difficult to find that the game of culture in the global sustainable development agenda has always dominated the policy formulation and action direction of UNESCO and its member states.

A brief review of the above process aims to provide us with a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the connotation, role and function of culture in the sustainable development agenda, and to provide a general background for the evolution of international cultural policies.

There will definitely be omissions or mistakes and responsibilities in the article.

In addition to taking responsibility, I also invite academic colleagues to criticize and correct them.

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