A/78/213 is noted that “the protection and conservation of the natural and cultural heritage constitutes a significant contribution to sustainable development”. 8 “States are encouraged to mainstream into their programmes and activities related to the World Heritage Convention” the UNESCO and United Nations policy documents on sustainable development”. 9 14. The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is more forthcoming in stating the link between intangible heritage and sustainable development. In its preamble, the importance of intangible cultural heritage is underlined as a guarantee of sustainable development. In article 2.1, it is stipulated that consideration will be given solely to such intangible cultural heritage as is compatible with, inter alia, sustainable development. In chapter VI of the operational directives for this Convention, States parties are advised on how to strengthen the role of intangible heritage as a lever and guarantor of sustainable development and how to integrate the safeguarding of living heritage into the States’ development plans, policies and programmes. 10 The Convention also emphasizes the importance of the participation of individuals and groups concerned in the implementation of these development strategies, as the primary beneficiaries. 11 In identifying elements to be inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, criteria R.2 requires the indication of how the nominated element contributes to sustainable development. 12 15. According to article 2 of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and its operational guidelines, the cultural aspect s of development are as important as its economic aspects and cultural diversity is an essential requirement for sustainable development. Article 13 of the Convention contains a call for the integration of culture into development policies, making it an explicit binding commitment by States on the matter 13 that has been reflected in the monitoring framework of the Convention. 16. Several projects at UNESCO promote the usage of culture for sustainable development. Attention must always be given to whether all phases of such projects adhere to all elements of cultural rights. Knowledge of such dynamic and evolving standards is important, as are time, space and specialist resources to ensure that such standards are applied. States have an essential role to play within the UNESCO structure to push for such standards, as part of their binding human rights obligations. 17. UNESCO has recently tried to improve the visibility of cultural rights in development. The UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Su stainable Development celebrated cultural policies for and in development. The Mondiacult Declaration and the subsequent UNESCO Executive Board decision refer explicitly to cultural rights and emphasized the call extended to the Secretary-General to integrate culture as a stand-alone goal in its own right in the development agenda beyond 2030. 14 Paragraph 10 of the Mondiacult Declaration commits the Ministers of __________________ 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 23-14310 See the contribution of the International Council on Monuments and Sites regarding the integration of a human rights approach into their methods of work. See also the contribution of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights of Hungary and UNESCO, Operational Guidelines for the World Heritage Convention (Paris, 2021), para. 6. Ibid., para. 14bis. UNESCO, Basic Texts of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (Paris, 2022). Ibid., paras.170–173 and 175, as well as chaps. VI.1 Inclusive social development; VI.2 Inclusive economic development; VI.3 Environmental sustainability; and VI.4 Intangible cultural heritage and peace. Ibid., para. 39.2 (b). Contribution of Véronique Guèvremont. UNESCO, Executive Board, decision 216 EX/11, para. 3. 7/24