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REVIEW OF PROGRESS TO ACHIEVE THE SDGS, 2015-19
b_ Approaches to Engaging with Culture in the VNRs There is a great range and diversity of references to culture identified throughout the VNR texts. These are found in all sections of the reports, from executive summaries, leadership forewords, introductions, sections on ‘Preparation of the Report’ (consultations with cultural agencies and NGOs), ‘Enabling policy environment’, ‘Means of Implementation’, dedicated sections to each Goal, and others including ‘Thematic analysis’, ‘National Priorities’ and ‘Next Steps’. Some exemplary approaches are cited below from seven countries; mostly from the highest scorers for the terms ‘culture’/ ‘cultural’, as well as some countries outside the top ten (Argentina and Vanuatu), for their highly interesting and inspiring content.25 Montenegro (2016), in its Introduction, identifies as one of ten key elements of their vision for sustainable development, their openness and diversity of culture, in terms of heritage and cultural expression, highlighting their prominent natural, landscape and cultural values preserved and used in support of sustainable development. Argentina (2017) has developed a detailed set of 11.4 national indicators, including registering movable cultural property in computer systems; immovable cultural property entering into official stock of patrimony; organizations and people trained in conservation and rescue of cultural property; manifestations of intangible cultural heritage surveyed and registered; assets declared as per the cultural heritage law; year increase in budget allocated for the preservation of declared assets. Greece (2018) has mentioned that culture is one of their national priorities, and that their National Research and Innovation Strategy in a thematic sector on ‘Culture - Creative Industries & Tourism’. In terms of the Means of Implementation (policy coherence and interlinkages), there is a robust section for the Cultural sector, whereby it is explained that their main strategic plan for growth mainstreams culture in practically all programmes, that cultural heritage -along with tourism and the cultural and creative industries- is one of the eight priority sectors with a substantial contribution to economic growth. Greece explicitly states that the safeguarding and promotion of culture contributes directly and indirectly to achieving many of the SDGs. Latvia (2018) sets the development of cultural space as a priority in their 2030 plan, identifies among the country’s strengths the quality of natural and cultural capital and the importance of nature and culture in the eyes of society, positions nature and culture as the enabling environment that makes Latvia attractive for life, work and leisure and promotes good relations among its people. Latvia also asserts that for an innovative economy to succeed, society as a whole must be creative, and that culture fosters this type of creativity and abstract thinking. Palau (2019), has entitled their VNR “Pathway to 2030: Progressing with Our Past”, and makes repeated reference to this theme, using examples of traditional and indigenous practices. Palau places culture at the top of the VNR vision. This VNR has also clearly pointed out the problem this report has been underlining: while culture (explored under Target 11.4) is a very important element of sustainability and a high priority target from a Palau perspective, it is not fully explored elsewhere in the SDGs.
25. There may be other VNR reports with exemplary content, which we did not include, as we focused on the ‘high scorers’ for ease of the scanning exercise given our very limited time resources.
