EUNIC KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOP REPORT - The Cultural Dimension of Sustainable Development: Opportunities for National Cultural Institutes
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EUNIC KNOWLEDGE
SHARING WORKSHOP
REPORT
The Cultural Dimension of
Sustainable Development:
Opportunities for National
Cultural Institutes
28-29 April 2021
1 BACKGROUND: THE CULTURAL DIMENSION 4 OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2 EUNIC KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOP: 7 TAKING STOCK OF THE PRESENT 3 MAIN INSIGHTS 8 4 CONCLUSIONS: LOOKING FORWARD 9 5 RECOMMENDATIONS 10 ANNEXES I CASE STUDIES 12 LOCAL/NATIONAL DIMENSION 13 REGIONAL DIMENSION 14 GLOBAL DIMENSION 15 EU PROGRAMMES 16 II PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS 18 III LIST OF SPEAKERS 18 IV REFERENCES 19
1
CULTURE IN THE However, the 2030 Agenda does not reflect
the efforts made by several international
2030 AGENDA non-governmental organisations in the
years leading up to 2015. Under the slogan
‘The future we want includes culture’,
BACKGROUND: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development is a universal call to action to
they had joined together in calling for a
sustainable development goal specifically
THE CULTURAL end poverty, protect the planet, and improve dedicated to culture.2 The Agenda’s lack
the lives and prospects of everyone, every- of attention to the cultural component has
DIMENSION OF where.1 Adopted in 2015 by all UN Member resulted in a strong response, with many
States, it is articulated in an economic,
SUSTAINABLE social, and environmental dimension.
organisations calling for culture to be
integrated into the SDGs and the post-2015
DEVELOPMENT With a 15-year horizon, the 2030 Agenda
has a holistic vision consisting of 17
development agenda. This integration is
based on the observation that, although
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) there is no specific goal dedicated to
and related targets. The SDGs go beyond culture, the 2030 Agenda pledges to foster
previous Millennium Development Goals intercultural understanding, recognising
(MDGs) as they set common targets for ‘that all cultures and civilisations can
all countries, thus establishing a global contribute to, and are crucial enablers of,
agenda. Furthermore, they address sustainable development.’3
all of society, with an emphasis on the
establishment of public-private and Including culture in the SDGs provides
civil-society partnerships. new, unprecedented opportunities for
international cooperation. All 17 SDGs
are interdependent. Owing to this inter-
connection, they are relevant to culture
either directly, as a driver of sustainable
development, or indirectly, as an enabler.
In addition, culture can play a major role in
several SDGs, notably in the promotion of
sustainable cities (SDG 11), decent work
(SDG 8), reduced inequalities (SDG 10),
climate action (SDG 13), gender equality
(SDG 5), innovation (SDG 9), and peaceful
and inclusive societies (SDG 16).
Creative Ireland, Culture Ireland. Photo by Mark Stedman.
1 To learn more see UNESCO 2015
2 We refer here to the #culture2015goal campaign.
To learn more: http://www.agenda21culture.net/
advocacy/culture-as-a-goal-in-post-2015
3 UNESCO 2015:10. Find this and all following
references in Annexe IV, p. 19.
4HOW DOES CULTURE SDGs
CONTRIBUTE
TO THE SDGs?
Broadens opportunities and agency 1, 4, 5, 10, 11, 17
for vulnerable communities
and fosters resilience
Enables citizen participation 1, 8, 10, 11, 17
and empowerment
Enables intercultural dialogue 1, 4, 10, 11, 16, 17
Can advocate for outcomes and prompt 1, 3, 5, 10, 12, 16, 17
wider discussion of contentious issues
Technical, artistic, and symbolic skills 1, 4, 8, 10, 17
development and employability
Cultural and creative industries can drive 1, 5, 8, 9, 12, 17
poverty reduction, sustainable economic
growth, and job creation
Cultural and artistic expression 3, 10, 11, 17
has benefits for mental health
and wider wellbeing
Arts and culture can communicate 3, 4, 5, 12, 16, 17
important information innovatively
and effectively
Local cultures and products 1, 8, 11, 12, 17
can drive sustainable tourism
Culture and creativity 9, 17
can drive innovation
Valuing of culture can encourage 11, 17
the protection of cultural heritage
Table 1. Source: British Council 2020.
5THE EUROPEAN The EU and its Member States are strongly
committed to implementing the 2030
UNION AND ITS Agenda. The Council confirmed they will
MEMBER STATES: do so ‘in a full, coherent, comprehensive,
integrated and effective manner,’ and
IMPLEMENTING THE underlined that the EU and its Member
CULTURAL DIMENSION States ‘will act as frontrunners in this
respect.’ In 2018, the EU Council of
OF DEVELOPMENT Ministers said that it would strengthen
international cultural relations ‘by making
Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, the most of the potential of culture to foster
progress is being made at a global level sustainable development and peace.’
and the European Union (EU) seems To drive this work forward, the Council
willing to be a driving force behind it. At created an Open Method of Coordination
the European level, the enhancement (OMC) Group on the Cultural Dimension of
of the cultural dimension of sustainable Sustainable Development. The Group is
development takes place within a general chaired by the Presidency of the Council.
and specific EU policy context. 4 The New
Strategic Agenda 2019-2024 (European In 2020, the Council of Ministers also
Council, June 2019) and the New amended the EU Work Plan for Culture
Commission 2019-2024 Political Priorities 2019-2022, adding a new priority,
provide a general framework. This namely culture as a driver of sustainable
structure is complemented by the EU’s development. The Council invited the
strategic approach to sustainable devel- Commission to prepare, in coordination
opment, and by an articulated set of with the Member States, an action plan
initiatives on culture. These include the on the cultural dimension of sustainable
New European Agenda for Culture (May development. At the Commission’s
2018), the Council Work Plan for Culture request, Voices of Culture, a structured
2019-2022 (Nov. 2018), the European dialogue between the Commission and
Framework for Action on Cultural Heritage the cultural sector, organised a two-day
(Dec. 2018), and the Council Resolution online webinar in December 2020 where 47
on the cultural dimension of sustainable cultural organisations offered suggestions
development (Nov. 2019). for the action plan. 6
Finally, EUNIC is committed to implement
Following the adoption of the 2030
the SDGs and included them in its
Agenda in 2017, the EU agreed on the New
Strategic Framework 2020-2024.7 Several
European Consensus on Development to
EUNIC members already operate a
align its development policy with the SDGs.
comprehensive policy on culture and the
Paragraph 35 of the Consensus explicitly
SDGs, and others intend to follow suit.
recognises culture as an important enabler
Certain members have an official policy
of sustainable development. Further, it
to integrate the SDGs into their work, for
asserts that the EU and its Member States:
example the Danish Cultural Institute
‘Will promote intercultural dialogue and
and Camões, I.P. Others have planned
cooperation and cultural diversity, and will
to include the SDGs in their strategies,
protect cultural heritage, boost the cultural
including DutchCulture and Czech
and creative industries and will support
Centres. Some members have contributed
cultural policies where these would help
on an ad hoc basis, such as ifa and the
achieve sustainable development.’5
British Council, whilst others carry out
activities that are compatible with the
SDGs but were not designed and labelled
as such. 8
4 Presentation by Maria-Chiara Esposito,
European Commission DG EAC.
5 Council of the European Union, European
Parliament, European Commission 2017: 16.
6 Voices of Culture 2021.
7 EUNIC Strategic Framework, EUNIC 2020b.
8 Based on a survey conducted by Gijs de Vries on
behalf of ifa.
62
On 28 and 29 April 2021, together with the Speakers from the British Council,
British Council and ifa, EUNIC organised Culture Ireland, Danish Cultural Institute,
a Knowledge Sharing Workshop. Taking Goethe-Institut, Institut français,
place online, it aimed to discuss issues EUNIC, and the European Commission
related to the role of culture in sustainable presented cases dealing with the cultural
EUNIC KNOWLEDGE development and to share best practice. 9
EUNIC member organisations and relevant
dimension of social, economic, and
environmental sustainability at national,
SHARING WORKSHOP: DGs of the European Commission were regional, and global levels. The case
invited to explore the cultural dimension of studies were framed by research on
TAKING STOCK OF sustainable development. Over the course culture’s contribution to the sustainable
THE PRESENT of the two-day meeting, recommendations
were devised on how best to pursue the
development goals, conducted by the
British Council and ifa,10 plus previous
following objectives: EUNIC initiatives. This was enriched by
a discussion on the internal and external
• To raise awareness of the SDGs policy context developed by the European
amongst members, and of the work Union.11
members are already doing linked to
the SDGs All participants confirmed the growing
• To encourage members to develop relevance of sustainable development
programmes which have outcomes in their activities. However, it was
and activities that directly engage with, acknowledged that the integration of the
and respond to, the SDGs SDGs in the work and strategy of EUNIC
• To share good practice and lessons members takes place with different
learnt regarding members' recent/ approaches and timeframes. Consequently,
current projects and programmes together participants reflected on how to
addressing the SDGs integrate, design, and implement actions
• To contribute to the advocacy strategy more consistently, highlighting the decisive
of EUNIC and its members role that arts and culture can play towards
• To engender and stimulate synergies the achievement of sustainable economic,
between the work of EUNIC members social, and environmental development.
and international and EU initiatives
9 Knowledge Sharing Workshops are hosted by
EUNIC member organisations and their partners
for professional exchange on operations and
management. They serve the statutory purpose
of EUNIC, sharing best practice and discussing
issues of common interest. The workshops,
usually comprising key senior staff members and
external stakeholders, focus on a variety of issues
deemed relevant to strengthen the network and its
members’ expertise.
10 See British Council 2020 and De Vries 2020.
11 EUNIC 2020a.
73
A CONSTELLATION Workshop participants reflected on the
wealth of different experiences and
OF SDG-RELATED approaches, identifying this as a significant
INITIATIVES opportunity to learn from and share best
practice. Looking outwards, participants
MAIN INSIGHTS Participants in the workshop shared how agreed that the SDGs have their natural
home in a global agenda. Potentially, new
their organizations give concrete form
to the cultural dimension of sustainable partnerships could be created beyond
development, on national and international the institutional boundaries of EUNIC,
levels. For example, Creative Ireland, with national and international bodies,
detailed a national holistic strategy for cultural and non-cultural organisations,
culture, tackling sustainability in a systemic and with private actors and civil society.
way, and linking creativity with public Looking inwards, it was noted that all
policy. The initiatives of the Danish Cultural EUNIC members can put in place internal
Institute in South Africa and the European policies to align or improve the quality and
Film Factory, managed by the Institut sustainability of their professional practices
français, both reflected how education and working environments. From mobility
and culture (SDG4) can contribute to policies to sustainable architecture, energy
social development. The EU4Culture supply, gender equality, and sustainable
programme, led by the Goethe-Institut, consumption of food and water, there are
and the British Council’s Crafting Futures many good practices that we can all adopt,
programme are vivid illustrations of the role leading our partners by example.
the creative and cultural sectors can play
in fostering sustainable economic growth
(SG8), reducing inequalities (SDG10), and THE KEY ROLE
inspiring more inclusive and sustainable OF MONITORING
communities and cities (SDG11). Finally,
the Nogoonbaatar Eco Art Festival, one of
AND EVALUATION
the pilot projects of European Spaces of
Culture, concentrated on raising aware- Workshop participants expressed the need
ness of the risks linked to climate change to improve their approach to monitoring and
(SDG13), and citizens’ empowerment. evaluation. Evidence is essential for effec-
tive dissemination, communication, and
The experiences of EUNIC members are advocacy, proving the role and potential of
characterised by great diversity and rich- cultural approaches to sustainable deve-
ness. This is manifest in the spectrum of the lopment. Some partners demonstrated their
SDGs addressed, the various approaches ability to use robust tools and methods;
integrating SDGs into mandates and strate- others showed innovation in developing
gies, and in the different scope of initiatives. approaches and strategies.13 Participants
These range from the local level, such as agreed that effective monitoring and
the Danish Cultural Institute, to the regional rigorous evaluation of these global
level, for example EU4Culture, and even dimensions can be enhanced only through
apply on a global level, notably European knowledge sharing and cooperation.
Spaces of Culture. This composite scenario
is complemented by the many initiatives Indeed, EUNIC members have devel-
linking sustainable development to the EU’s oped different monitoring and evaluation
international partnerships, including the practices over time. Their approaches
ACP-EU Culture Programme, which helps change according to the nature of existing
the creative and cultural sectors contribute programmes, which also applies to
to the sustainable social and economic the inclusion of SDGs. For example, in
development of African, C aribbean, and initiatives undertaken by the Czech Centre,
Pacific countries.12 DutchCulture, and the Goethe-Institut,
organisations have started to map existing
projects to assess their alignment with the
SDGs. This is only a preliminary stage of
analysis, preceding the development and
subsequent introduction of systematic
evaluation tools and processes.
12 You can find all case studies and more
information on the projects in Annexe I Moreover, for effective future planning, it
from p. 12
13 This is the case of the quantitative and
is essential for organisations to be aware
qualitative Monitoring Evaluation and Learning of the SDGs already considered in existing
(MEL) dashboard designed by the British activities. Thus, the Goethe-Institut
Council and implemented by Tfanen - Tunisie concluded that goals related to educa-
Créative. As part of the project European tion, inclusion, and gender equality are
Spaces of Culture, EUNIC also developed a already part of the institute’s programming.
Monitoring & Evaluation toolkit. This toolkit
Likewise, the British Council considered
incorporates methodologies, indicators, and
outpt/outcome measurements. Together, that its programmes contribute to 11 goals,
these ensure the collection of the required from combating poverty to promoting
qualitative and quantitative data, enabling responsible production and consumption.
an assessment of pilot projects’ contribution
to the implementation of the EU Strategy for
International Cultural Relations. The toolkit is
available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/
folders/16doHh6iiuJxdZr1qkRZlqllpOGRfW9kZ
84
From the studies by the British Council and the cultural component into sustainable
ifa, and building on the experiences shared development. This exchange should take
during the workshop, participants gained place not only amongst EUNIC members,
a better awareness of the SDGs and how but also with European institutions and
they can apply to the cultural sector. They key stakeholders from outside Europe,
CONCLUSIONS: agreed on the relevance of monitoring and
evaluation, and exchanged methods and
including local partners.
LOOKING FORWARD approaches on how to extend them to In addition, the workshop was an
the SDGs. opportunity for EUNIC members to share
knowledge on approaches, challenges, and
Implementing the SDGs requires benefits of SDGs evaluation, plus consider
cooperation between governments, forms of dissemination and communication.
international and non-governmental Key issues were discussed, including how
organisations, the private sector, and civil and to whom the SDGs communication
society. Only a broad alliance will be able initiatives should be addressed, the
to pool the resources and capabilities challenges that EUNIC members face when
needed to make good use of them. As evaluating their contribution to the SDGs,
far as cultural cooperation is concerned, and the benefits and opportunities offered
EUNIC is well placed to serve as a platform to their organisations by the introduction of
for dialogue and exchange, integrating SDGs assessment processes.
Crafting Futures, British Council. Photo by Simon Mills
95
SYNERGIES AND DISSEMINATION,
PARTNERSHIPS COMMUNICATION,
AND ADVOCACY
It is recommended that EUNIC encourages
RECOMMENDATIONS international initiatives and horizontal
• Narratives are crucial in public
projects that address the cultural dimen-
relations. A clear message about the
sions of sustainable development. In so
inseparable relationship between
doing, it could, as far as possible, foster
culture and development, and
collaboration, knowledge sharing, and joint
the relevance of this relationship
actions with international organisations
in EUNIC members' daily work,
such as UNESCO, EU Delegations, and
needs to be conveyed. EUNIC
the relevant services of the European
and its members should develop a
Commission. Corresponding to this,
more coherent, shared storytelling
members suggested that EUNIC should:
as part of their organizational
communication practices. To do
• Continue to organise joint seminars so, they need to assemble their
• Continue to organise Knowledge initiatives into a narrative with a plot.
Sharing Workshops with the EU and A compelling story is key to building
organisations working on macro- sustainability-driven civil society, to
themes that cut across the work of inform, persuade, and engage global
EUNIC members. Good examples citizens. Further, it can encourage
include culture and sustainable and reinforce coalitions and initiatives
development, cultural relations in within EUNIC and with stakeholders,
fragile contexts, and fair collaboration including the European institutions
in international cultural relations. • A detailed analysis of the specificities
Here, a fruitful exchange of practices of diverse geographical context
between members is most likely and communities could provide a
• Share reports of Knowledge Sharing unique opportunity for discussion
Workshops and seminars with the and common understanding of the
EU and interested stakeholders relevance of the SDGs between
• Map the priorities of the European EUNIC and its members together
institutions in the field of sustainable with local partners and beneficiaries.
development to enhance shared This could serve to broaden and
interests and promote convergence inform international perspectives on
the concrete relevance of the SDGs
• The cultural dimension of sustainable
development has yet to be fully
assimilated into the priorities of
the European Union, of many
of its Member States, and other
organisations operating in this
field. EUNIC could work towards a
comprehensive endorsement, at
both national and supranational
levels. Thus, EUNIC members should
undertake advocacy actions at a
national level to demonstrate that
cultural cooperation has an important
role in stimulating and communicating
social, economic, and environmental
sustainability. In addition, EUNIC and
its members should better advocate
for the SDGs to be integrated into
the EU agenda and the mandates
of European Delegations
10RELEVANCE, COHERENCE, • Avoid SDG-washing, limiting or
reducing the review of SDGs to
EFFECTIVENESS, a tick-box exercise. Rather than
AND EFFICIENCY merely checking the compatibility
of existing or planned projects
with some of the SDGs, members
To have an impact, future initiatives of
should explicitly plan and integrate
EUNIC and its members regarding SDGs
SDGs into projected activities
must be relevant, responding to the
• Develop good practice in all
priorities of beneficiaries and partners.
aspects of sustainability, from the
Undoubtedly, this is an ambitious mission,
way we move and eat, to gender
but there are some actions that EUNIC and
relations in the workplace
its members could put in place relatively
quickly and without too much effort.
EUNIC could:
MONITORING AND
EVALUATION
• Develop a roadmap to be presented
to the EUNIC General Assembly Monitoring and evaluation are essential
• Advocate that the EU incorporates to ensure continuous learning and
the pursuit of SDGs into the broader the ultimate success of a programme.
policy framework of its strategic Through data collection and analysis,
approach to international cultural it is possible to demonstrate the impact
relations. After all, the EU already of a project, to identify and transfer
sees culture as a driver of sustainable good practice, to convince partners,
economic and social development and to communicate effectively with
• Embed the SDGs in EUNIC cluster stakeholders and beneficiaries. To make
strategies, involving EUNIC this happen, EUNIC members should:
focal points, and encourage the
implementation of pilot projects • Select key SDG targets and indicators
centred on selected development to be mainstreamed in all projects.
objectives.14 If successful, these can Once chosen, the prioritized SDGs
then be replicated on a larger scale require testing, monitoring and
• Make the pursuit of specific evaluation, in accordance with the
SDGs an explicit requirement/ mandates of individual organisations
criteria in the EUNIC Cluster • In preliminary phases, baseline
Fund Call and in the European data should be collected to improve
Spaces of Culture pilot projects impact monitoring and inform
• Adapt the EUNIC M&E reporting decision making. This then should be
tool by introducing core indicators expanded to include the introduction
on sustainable development. of studies on data collected over
Training, guidance, knowledge a certain period in order to detect
sharing, and the proposed EUNIC possible changes that may occur over
working group on SDGs evaluation time. As a reference, the thematic
can feed into improving the indicators for culture, developed by
monitoring tool in this regard UNESCO, can be used.15 EUNIC
• Introduce a section dedicated to should explore how this could be built
the SDGs in the EUNIC Newsletter into EUNIC funded programmes, such
• Produce new materials and use as the yearly EUNIC Cluster Fund
existing online platforms such as • Criteria to evaluate the contribution
the EUNIC website to facilitate of culture to the SDGs should not
the circulation and sharing of good be applied mechanically. Instead,
practice, tools, methods, and they should be covered according
useful material and documentation to the needs of the relevant
amongst EUNIC members stakeholders and the context of
the evaluation. Data availability,
EUNIC members could: resource constraints, timing, and
methodological considerations may
• Formally commit to integrate also influence how (and whether)
sustainable development objectives a particular criterion is covered
into their strategic planning • Finally, EUNIC could help its members
• Develop effective and efficient to track progress and support them
monitoring and evaluation tools, in developing and using social,
encouraging the development of a economic, and environmental
monitoring and evaluation standard indicators. This could be done by
based on a set of shared criteria, for offering training, mentoring and
example the UNESCO thematic indi- capacity building on M&E. Building
cators for culture in the 2030 Agenda on the EUNIC Job Shadowing
programme, this could be achieved
through the creation of a thematic and
14 EUNIC Focal Points are designated central permanent EUNIC working group on
contact points for EUNIC matters within each SDG evaluation
EUNIC member organisation.
15 To learn more about the Culture 2030 indicators
by UNESCO: https://whc.unesco.org/en/
culture2030indicators/
11ANNEXE I: CASE STUDIES
12LOCAL/NATIONAL DIMENSION
CULTURE IRELAND:
THE CREATIVE IRELAND PROGRAMME
The Creative Ireland Programme is a The programme has a broad and 16 This term is used by the Irish government to describe
five-year cross-government programme 16 ambitious remit. For example, at the collaboration between government departments and
that positions creativity at the centre of heart of Creative Youth is the conviction public sector bodies.
public policy.17 The core proposition of that knowledge and creativity should be 17 Presentation by Sheila Deegan, Creative Ireland.
Creative Ireland is that participation in equal partners in children’s formation, To learn more about the programme: https://www.
cultural and creative activity promotes supporting them to become creative, creativeireland.gov.ie/en/
individual, community, and national active citizens. Creative Youth supports
wellbeing. The programme has five measures which aim to expand young
pillars: Creative Youth; Creative people’s access to creative initiatives
Communities; Cultural and Creative and activities. It focuses on the inclusion
Infrastructure; Creative Industries; of every child, supporting positive and
and Global Reputation. sustainable outcomes for children
and young people through creative
engagement. Complementing this,
Creative Communities is a partnership
established in 2018 between local
authorities and the all-of-government
Creative Ireland Programme. This seeks
to embed creativity in public policy
and engage creativity as a strategy
for wellbeing, social cohesion, and
economic development.
DANISH CULTURAL INSTITUTE:
SOUTH AFRICA
The CICLO - Red Apples - Green Apples The project’s long-term outcomes include 18 Presentation by Olaf Gerlach-Hansen, Danish
project was formed to reduce violence signs of changing behaviours amongst Cultural Institute. To learn more about the activities
in schools in Cape Town.18 A pilot school students. These include strengthened of the Danish Cultural Institute: https://www.
was chosen that had been seriously memory and academic attainment, danishculture.com/
affected by violence, in the school improved personal relations, and a
itself, in students’ homes, and amongst reduction in rates of violence. Given the
students themselves in the wider success of the pilot project, the next step
community. The project used innovative will be to involve teachers in the wider
practices informed by the international application of the methods used, as well
cultural relations approach, building as to explore institutional development
on art education and embodiment, to and upscaling with stakeholders.
challenge and help change students’
behaviour. The project’s diverse The Cape Town case study illustrates
partnerships included researchers in the DCI’s emphasis on high-quality pilot
both South Africa and Denmark, plus the projects. Once the qualities of a project
European Network of Observatories of have been identified and assessed, pilot
Arts and Culture Education. The project projects can be scaled up, transforming
also placed an emphasis on local them into more comprehensive
empowerment, working with Arts initiatives. An excellent example of this
educators, civil society organizations, approach is the DCI’s programmes in
and educational authorities. the Baltic Sea region. There, two pilot
projects implemented in recent years
led to the launch of UrbCulturalPlanning,
a three-year, 2.5-million-euro project
based on the cooperation of 14 different
partners and addressing SDG11. The
same applies to the New Democracy
Fund, a 6.5-million-euro pilot project
based on the successful experiences of
the DCI in the Baltic States, Ukraine, and
Belarus. Indeed, the DCI has numerous
active pilot projects around the world,
each with the potential to work towards
specific SDGs. A good example is the
Women hold up half of the sky project,
which aims to contribute towards
achieving gender equality, empowering
women and girls in China.
13REGIONAL DIMENSION
INSTITUT FRANÇAIS:
EUROPEAN FILM FACTORY
Launched in September 2020, the social inclusion, notably through its 19 Presentation by Adeline Chaveau and Lucie Guérin,
European Film Factory (EFF) is a digitalization programmes. Through Institut français. To learn more about the project:
film literacy platform for European the films and educational materials https://www.europeanfilmfactory.eu/
students and teachers.19 It offers a created for the project, the EFF hopes to
free, secured environment to watch a nurture European values, and to foster
catalogue of European films in eight awareness of contemporary issues such
languages, with educational kits and as gender equality, dialogues between
interactive educational tools. The cultures, and the environment.
project is led by the Institut français,
with the support of ARTE Education Obviously, raising awareness about
and European Schoolnet, and is funded the importance of film education across
by the MEDIA strand of the Creative the whole European territory is a
Europe programme. challenging task. As a genre, European
cinema is difficult to classify, with a rich
Although the platform has not been history. Understanding this, educational
designed to meet the SDGs, the approaches to film have been and
objectives of the European Film Factory remain diverse. The programme has
are particularly in line with SDG 4.7 had to acknowledge, indeed embrace
(quality education). The platform aims this complexity. What’s more, it is intent
to raise awareness of the importance to highlight European cinema heritage
of film education for teachers, whilst, at the same time, making it
educational leaders, and institutions, resonate with today’s youth and their
and to connect students and teachers concerns. Certainly, with its vision to
from all over Europe. In addition, the connect the past, present and future, the
EFF aims to foster geographical and EFF has ambitious aims.
GOETHE-INSTITUT:
EU4CULTURE
EU4Culture is an initiative implemented Although the project did not consider 20 Presentation by Anatoli Biefert, Goethe-Institut. To
by Goethe-Institut, Institut français, the achievement of specific SDGs in learn more: https://euneighbourseast.eu/projects/eu-
Czech Centres, and the Danish Cultural its design phase, its mission, and the project-page/?id=1487
Institute. 20 With a duration of four years tools used, make it an ideal vehicle
(2021-2024), it aims to promote the for achieving SDG 8 (decent work
cultural and creative sectors, intercultural and economic growth), and SDG 11
dialogue, and knowledge exchange (sustainable cities and communities).
across the Eastern Partnership (EaP) EU4Culture affirms the role of the
countries, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, cultural and creative sectors, recognising
Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. them as drivers of economic and social
development. Understanding this, it
It offers a broad range of grants. These is intent to improve local governance
include funds to support non-capital in these sectors, actively supporting
cities in the design and implementation of regulatory processes and participative
cultural development strategies. Others, policy dialogue. Moreover, EU4Culture
under the shape of a mobility flow aims to contribute to sustainable regional
scheme, directly support professionals development by focusing on non-capital
from the cultural and creative sectors. cities, towns, and communities in the
Grants are also allocated for cross- EaP countries.
innovation projects involving culture and
creative industries in EaP countries.
On a regional level, EU4Culture also
provides capacity building and mentoring
programmes for professionals and
relevant policy makers involved in,
or responsible for, the cultural and
creative sectors.
14GLOBAL DIMENSION
BRITISH COUNCIL:
CRAFTING FUTURES
The programme Crafting Futures aims Related projects in partner countries 21 Presentation by Katia Stewart and Rosanna Lewis,
to support a more sustainable future for align with specific SDGs. For example, British Council. To learn more: https://design.
crafts around the world, ensuring that in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia, britishcouncil.org/projects/crafting-futures/
craft is appreciated for economic, social, the programme focuses on devising
and environmental development. 21 new learning tools and methods for
Since 2016, Crafting Futures has been use in craft education, reflecting SDGs
active in many countries around the 4, 8, and 10. There, the programme
globe, supporting projects delivered develops and pilots new craft modules
in partnership for exchange of knowl- which cover creative learning, digital
edge and the development of mutually clay, and creative entrepreneurship.
beneficial relationships. It brings together The aim is to embed them into the
craft practitioners, designers, and existing curriculum, thus enhancing craft
organisations, from the UK and beyond, education across the South Caucasus
to experiment and test methods, as well region. Alternatively, Crafting Futures in
as develop projects based on local needs Thailand and Indonesia concentrates on
and context. SDG 10 and 12. In Indonesia, the focus is
on the development of new materials, the
The project aligns with several of the repurposing of existing materials, and the
SDGs, in particular SDGs 4 (quality use of sustainable materials. In Thailand,
education), 5 (gender equality), 8 (decent focuses include knowledge transfer and
work and economic growth), 10 (reduced management, research and development
inequalities), 12 (responsible consump- of sustainable and safe approaches,
tion and production), and 17 (partner- and business development. In addition,
ships for the goals). the programme fosters designer-artisan
collaborations, plus heritage and craft
education for youth, facilitated through
residencies, learning kits, and train-the-
trainer workshops.
EUROPEAN SPACES OF CULTURE:
NOGOONBAATAR ECO ART FESTIVAL
European Spaces of Culture aims to test The main objective of the project - which 22 Presentation by Robert Kieft, EUNIC.
innovative collaboration models in cultural was implemented by Goethe-Institut, To learn more: https://europeanspacesofculture.eu/
cooperation with European actors and third Alliance française, and the Embassy of projects/mongolia-nogoonbaatar-international-eco-art-
partner actors, and in the spirit of the EU the Czech Republic, is to change public festival
strategic approach to international cultural attitudes through art, making lifestyles
relations.22 Implemented by EUNIC, one more environmentally friendly, and raising
of the pilot projects is the Nogoonbaatar awareness about environmental issues,
Eco Art Festival in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. especially air pollution. Activities include a
The project indirectly contributes to SDG painting competition, public and street art
13 (climate action) and more specifically to workshops, and craft classes.
the need to ‘improve education, awareness
raising and human and institutional capacity The festival aims to achieve results both in
on climate change mitigation, adaptation, the short and long term. As to the former,
impact reduction and early warning.’ The attention is paid to the introduction of
project also tackles SDG 7 (affordable and innovative forms of artistic expressions to
clean energy). engage the local population and change
attitudes and behaviour, an outcome that
relates to the population’s awareness
of the issue of air pollution. The project
also promotes young local artists at the
national and international level and fosters
knowledge and practice exchanges
between European and local artists, with
attention to gender issues. In the long term,
the festival aims to shift behaviours and
practices, encouraging sustainability, and
in particular the mobilization and empower-
ment of civil society.
15EU PROGRAMMES
DG INTPA:
ACP-EU CULTURE PROGRAMME
Capitalising on the achievements of The programme consists of two main 23 Presentation by Denise Richert, DG INTPA.
the ACP Film, Cultures, Cultures+ initiatives. The first is dedicated to To learn more: http://www.acp-ue-culture.eu/.
programmes (2008-2017), the objective support audio-visual co-productions
of the ACP-EU CULTURE programme is in ACP countries. An initial call for
to support the contribution of the cultural the selection of three co-productions,
industries towards the socio-economic in 2019, led to the disbursal of 5.8
development of African, Caribbean, million Euros. In 2020, the number of
and Pacific countries. 23 The programme projects financed increased to fifty-one.
encompasses a wide range of objectives. The second call, closing in 2021, will
These include supporting the education distribute a further 4.1 million Euros of
of young creators, helping them gain funds for co-productions. The second
professional experience and qualifica- initiative, starting in 2020, aims to
tions, and encouraging the production support creative and cultural sectors,
and circulation of ACP cultural goods other than audio-visual production. With
and services, to national, regional, and a total budget of 26 million Euros, its
international markets. In addition, it management is decentralised, with six
offers ACP artists and cultural operators regional hubs acting as intermediaries in
improved access to funding, via innova- the distribution of funds to third parties.
tive mechanisms and partnerships with
financial organisations.
THE CULTURAL DIMENSION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
IN THE EU’S INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
The ACP-EU CULTURE programme First, the EU directly supports cultural 24 Presentation by Annica Floren, DG INTPA.
is not the only EU development and creative sectors. This includes
programme with a cultural dimension. 24 loans and business support, such as
Indeed, many of the European Union’s the CreatiFI and Innovative Financing
international partnerships focus on Initiative for Culture, as well as support
the relationship between culture and for fair value chains in African and
sustainable development. These include Central Asian textile and fashion
thematic and regional programmes in sectors, for example the Identity
the domains of cultural and creative Building and Sharing Business Initiative.
industries (CCIs) and cultural sectors, Also within this is the promotion of
intercultural dialogue, cultural govern- cultural cooperation and exchange of
ance, and cultural heritage. Together, cultural professionals in PALOP-TL
these contribute to the implementation -Procultura. Secondly, emphasis is
of the EU policy framework on sustain- given to intercultural dialogue through
able development and international the implementation of projects in Africa
cultural relations. and the Middle East, to promote social
cohesion and tolerance, and to foster
stability. This objective is shared with
initiatives supporting cultural heritage
rehabilitation in post-conflict and crisis
contexts, for example in Mali, Yemen,
and Iraq. Finally, the EU partners with
non-EU state actors and organisations
to promote appropriate regulatory
frameworks for culture and CCIs,
a key example being the EU- UNESCO
Expert Facility.
16ANNEXE II: PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS
AECID
Arts Council Malta
British Council
Camões, I.P.
Culture Ireland
Czech Centres
Cyprus Ministry of Education & Culture
Danish Cultural Institute
European Commission, DG EAC
European Commission, DG NEAR
European Commission, DG INTPA
European External Action Service
Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
French Permanent Representation to the EU
Goethe-Institut
Institut français
Instituto Cervantes
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Slovenian Cultural Centre Berlin
UNESCO
University of Siena
ANNEXE III: LIST OF SPEAKERS
Isabelle Van de Gejuchte, Senior Manager Policy Engagement - British Council
Katia Stewart, Global Programme Manager - Crafting Futures - British Council
Rosanna Lewis, Culture and Development, Senior Programme Manager - British Council
Ian Thomas, Head of Evidence - Arts, Research & Policy Insight - British Council
Sheila Deegan, Programme Manager - Creative Ireland
Olaf Gerlach-Hansen, EUNIC Focal Point - Danish Cultural Institute
Gitte Zschoch, Director - EUNIC
Robert Kieft, Project Manager European Spaces of Culture - EUNIC
Maria-Chiara Esposito, Policy Officer - European Commission, DG EAC
Annica Floren, Deputy Head of Unit - European Commission, DG INTPA
Denise Richert, Programme Manager - European Commission, DG INTPA
Anatoli Beifert, Project Manager - Goethe-Institut Georgia
Adeline Chaveau, Project Manager European Film Factory - Institut français
Lucie Guérin, Project Manager European Film Factory - Institut français
Sarah Widmaier, Scientific Coordinator - ifa
Gijs de Vries, Researcher & Author, Expert of ifa’s Research Programme ‘Culture and Foreign Policy’
18ANNEXE IV: REFERENCES
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Culture’s Contribution to the UN Sustaina-
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cil Conclusions on the Work Plan for Culture
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Council of the European Union (2019), Draft https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-13336-2019-INIT/en/pdf
Resolution of the Council of the European
Union and the Representatives of the Gov-
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Council of the European Union (2020a), https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXTHTML/?uri=CELEX:52020XG0609(03)&rid=8
Council Conclusions amending the Work
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Council of the European Union (2020b), https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-6161-2020-INIT/en/pdf
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Council of the European Union, European https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/system/files/european-consensus-on-development-final-20170626_en.pdf
Parliament, European Commission (2017),
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EUNIC (2020a), Culture and the Sustainable https://eunic.eu/news/eunic-public-online-debate-culture-and-the-sustainable-development-goals-where-are-we-now
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EUNIC (2020b), EUNIC Strategic Framework https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/1Idd-OApjdE0Q6ial1JcroPEYERf4uW8S
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19The EUNIC Knowledge Sharing Workshop, ‘The Cultural Dimension of Sustainable Development: Opportunities for National Cultural Institutes,’ was co-organised by EUNIC, the British Council, and ifa. The workshop was organised by Gitte Zschoch and Michelle Sun (EUNIC), Isabelle Van de Gejuchte and Rosanna Lewis (British Council), and Sarah Widmaier (ifa). This report was drafted by Alessandro Giovanni Lamonica (University of Siena), and edited by Michelle Sun (EUNIC), Isabelle Van de Gejuchte and Rosanna Lewis (British Council), Sarah Widmaier (ifa), and Paul Snell. Design by Amélie Bakker and Atelier Brenda with assistance of Joram De Docker and Hjördis Behncken.
EUNIC – European Union National Institutes for Culture – is
the European network of organisations engaging in cultural
relations from all EU member states and associate countries.
Through culture, we strive to build trust and understanding
between the people of Europe and the wider world. We work
to make culture count in international relations.
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www.eunicglobal.eu
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