Stick Together, to Advance What We can Deliver
Global leader squad enlightening participants on essential role of Culture in UCLG Culture Summit, 10-13 May 2017.
THE wheel of development is driven by the actors, stakeholder that will create innovations and do the tasks of implementation. In local level, the assignment falls under the responsibility of local authorities that will cultivate, manage, and turn local capitals into a force to sustain local development. One of the foundations that sticks related stakeholders is the core of humanity itself, the culture. Bearing this idea in mind, UCLG, in collaboration with Jeju Local Self Government, gathered world’s key leaders to toughen up global collaboration to make culture the center of approaches to sustainable development in cities, at UCLG Culture Summit, 10-13 May 2017 in Jeju, South Korea. Over 700 participants representing local governments, international organisations, national governments, networks, artists, academics, and other professionals gained highlights on how culture mould into local development. This message was translated by President of UCLG ASPAC, Won Hee-ryong, as “the wind of change … blowing all over the world… .” In this occasion, Mpho Parks Tau, President of UCLG, specifically emphasized the roles of
local and regional governments that are “essential in ensuring a better future for all”, in which “cultural life and cultural rights are part of the cities we want.” Undertaking advanced role in culture, UCLG ASPAC stimulated debates and knowledge sharing among its members in ASPAC Culture Committee meeting. On the last day, the Culture Summit saw fruitful discussions involving Buenos Aires, Bogota, Rome, Istanbul, Bilbao and civil society activists that focus on the role of cultural rights and local partnerships for culture in improving local sustainable development. In addition, there is also a discussion to strengthen “Culture Coalition” in the context of the forthcoming COP23 Conference on Climate Change to be held in November 2017 in Bonn. Participants of the second UCLG Culture Summit have the opportunity to meet with cultural actors and visit cultural venues across Jeju Island.
Representatives of international community uniting commitment to make Culture at heart of sustainable development.