A Memorandum of Understanding between the institutions focuses on promoting culture as a motor for sustainable development, through support for culturally-sensitive development, protecting World Heritage sites, encouraging sustainable productive activities benefiting local communities, and the promotion of sustainable forest management and biodiversity within these sites.
1 July 2011: The World Bank and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizing their collaboration to support culture “as a motor for social development and poverty alleviation, through employment and job creation,” according to Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO.
The focus of the collaboration will be on urban development for cultural heritage and the economics of culture, as well as cultural diversity and social inclusion. For example, projects may include: developing cultural indicators; promoting culturally-sensitive development approaches that sustain social cohesion and inclusiveness; promoting the protection of sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, with an approach allowing for sustainable productive activities benefiting local communities; and promoting sustainable forest management and biodiversity within the sites. [World Bank Press Release]