07 Feb, 2016
Call for papers - Cultural policies for cities that are cohesive and sustainable
An international conference entitled “Learning Cities 2040: Global, Local, Connected, Sustainable, Healthy and Resilient” organised by PASCAL Observatory, hosted by the University of Glasgow and sponsored by the City of Glasgow, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, CITYNET and the Australian Learning Communities Network is being held in Glasgow, Scotland, 3-5 June 2016.
One of the five main strands is “Cultural policies for cities that are cohesive and sustainable” and the call for papers remains open until February 22nd 2016.
There has been a growing interest in the role of cultural policies and institutions in supporting sustainable development, fuelled by the development of the new UN Sustainable Development Goals to replace the Millennium Development Goals. The UNESCO Hangzhou Declaration of 2013 on Placing Culture at the Heart of Sustainable Development Policies affirmed the significance of culture and local context in shaping sustainable development. PASCAL has taken a close interest in this question since our Östersund Conference in 2010 on Heritage, Regional Development and Social Cohesion, and has set up a Cultural Policies Network under the Networks program to develop ideas on the role of cultural policies and institutions.
The work of this Network has pointed to the important role of cultural institutions such as Museums and libraries in developing Learning Cities in such areas as preserving and enhancing heritage, creating and negotiating identity, and contributing to the cohesion of a community and city. These roles need to be linked to the other strands of the conference in a holistic approach to Learning City development.
· What are the main contributions of cultural policies and institutions to sustainable Learning Cities?
· In what ways can museums and libraries contribute to the inclusion objectives of Learning Cities?
· Give examples of ways in which cultural institutions have been a significant player in the negotiation of identity in a diverse community.
· Case studies of innovative action by cultural institutions in regional development and fostering social cohesion are invited.
Participants from around the World have already been announced – Taipei, Iraqi Kurdistan, Australia, Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands, and the USA to name but a few.
Please act now to join this important event in one of the most vibrant cities in Europe at the start of this Summer.
Further information: