Culture has always been an integral component of development. The idea that ‘culture matters’ in development processes is not a new one, but the central role it plays in achieving sustainable development has only recently been recognised by development planners and incorporated into development policy. Since the World Decade for Cultural Development (1988–1997), a series of significant international meetings have focused on creating harmony between culture and development, harnessing culture to achieve sustainable development, and promoting cultural creativity and diversity through development. Organisations such as UNESCO have been instrumental in placing culture at the heart of development policy and planning. UNESCO has created a number of conventions to protect all forms of culture, the most recent being the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2005.

http://www.spc.int/hdp/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=105&Itemid=44