The Global Community and Local Government: Agenda 21 for Culture
The Agenda 21 for culture was agreed by cities and local governments from all over the world “committed to human rights, cultural diversity, sustainability, participatory democracy and creating conditions for peace”. It was approved in Barcelona on 8 May 2004 at the first Universal Forum of Cultures. After its approval, the cities presented the document to United Nations – Habitat and UNESCO.
The Agenda 21 for culture is the first document with worldwide mission for an undertaking by cities and local governments for cultural development. At a local level, it is being used to reinforce and renew local cultural policies, and to include a solid fourth pillar in sustainable development. At a global level, it is the main (original and multilateral) contribution of cities to global cultural governance, when culture (and its constitutive element, diversity) is becoming one of the crucial elements of globalisation: UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity (2005), plans for an Alliance of Civilisations (2006), European Year for Intercultural Dialogue (2008)...
The world organisation United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) adopted the Agenda 21 for culture as a reference document for its programmes on culture (October 2004) and assumed the role of coordinator of the process subsequent to its approval and created the “Working Group on Culture” (June 2005) as an international platform to connect existing initiatives, promote new alliances and advocate for cities to play a growing role in cultural policy debates.
The process has raised the interest of international organisations, national governments and civil society. The website (http://www.agenda21culture.net) hosts all the resources related, including translations of the document into several languages, articles, publications, news and events.
Jordi Pascual is the Coordinator of the Working Group on Culture (WGC) of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) for the Institut de Cultura (Barcelona City Council). The main aim of the WGC is the progress of the "Agenda 21 for culture - an undertaking by cities and local governments for cultural development" (agenda21culture.net).
Jordi is a researcher in cultural policies and local development with a BA Geography (1992) and MA, European Cultural Policies and International Cultural Relations (1997). He has previously worked as a Researcher at the Autònoma University of Barcelona (1992-1996), then at the Interarts Foundation (1996-2000) and Institut de Cultura - Barcelona City Council (2000-2003) and as URBACT researcher on culture and urban regeneration. His publications on cultural policies and local development include: