Culture & Development - themes

The Culture and Development (C&O) programme of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is part of their policy to strengthen the cultural dimension in development cooperation. The programme focuses on the support of cultural identity in developing countries.

CIE also initiates and manages Culture and Development programmes in several countries. Important aspects in the programmes for CIE are: capacity building, sustainability and local and public awareness.

Capacity building
Capacity building aims at training local people in all elements that are related to the development and management of international projects. Capacity building programmes are applied to the effectiveness of local organizations as well.

Local and public awareness
Local ownership is an important element that will lead to local awareness of the valuable heritage and past. It can lead to new economical initiatives (e.g. in tourism).

Sustainability
All aspects of contacts and projects are based on sustainability, in order for local knowledge and cultural heritage to be preserved for future generations.

More Information on Culture and Development:

• Culture and Development Policy Programme of the Netherlands
  The Culture and Development programme focuses on support of cultural identity in developing countries. Read more

• Dutch international cultural policy has been adjusted
  The Dutch international cultural policy has been adjusted. With their letter to the House of Representatives entitled ‘Art without Borders’, Culture minister Ronald Plasterk and European affairs minister Frans Timmermans describe the international art and culture policy up to 2012. Read more
  
• CIE ‘Cultural Heritage and Development’-dinner – conclusions
  In September 2007 the Centre for International Heritage Activities organized a dinner to discuss the opportunities of the position of Cultural Heritage in Culture and Development. Read more

• ‘Curiosity without Boundaries’
  On March 31th 2008 the meeting ‘Curiosity without boundaries – towards a real international cultural policy’ took place in Rotterdam. This day was organized to create more awareness for an intensification of the International Cultural Policy in the Netherlands and the Culture and Development programme. Read more

Dutch international cultural policy has been adjusted
The ministers believe that culture can be used to strengthen the position of the Netherlands abroad, including in the domains of development cooperation and human rights.
In the following video they explain how the policy focuses geographically on cultural hotspots and thematically on Dutch design, fashion and architecture (DDFA) – three disciplines in which the Netherlands excels internationally. But there is also attention to culture and development and the Dutch cultural heritage.

Click here for the video