A/RES/72/229
Culture and sustainable development
modern science and technology and local and indigenous knowledge, practices and
innovation;
(g) To promote global awareness of the linkages between cultural and
biological diversity, including through the protection and encouragement of the
customary use of biological resources, in accordance with traditional cultural
practices, as a key element of a comprehensive approach to sustainable development;
(h) To support national legal frameworks and policies for the protection and
preservation of cultural heritage and cultural property, encouraging initiatives to fight
against illicit trafficking in cultural property and the return of cultural property, in
accordance with national legislation and applicable international legal frameworks,
including by promoting international cooperation to prevent the misappropriation of
cultural heritage and products, recognizing the importance of intellectual property
rights in sustaining those involved in cultural creativity;
(i) To note that, in achieving these objectives, innovative mechanis ms of
financing can make a positive contribution in assisting developing countries in
mobilizing additional resources for development on a stable, predictable and
voluntary basis, and to reiterate that such voluntary mechanisms should be effective,
should aim to mobilize resources that are stable and predictable, should supplement
and not be a substitute for traditional sources of financing, should be disbursed in
accordance with the priorities of developing countries and should not unduly burden
such countries;
(j) To mobilize culture as a vehicle to foster tolerance, mutual understanding,
peace and reconciliation in the context of conflict-prevention, conflict-resolution and
peacebuilding processes;
12. Expresses deep concern that cultural property, including religious sites and
objects, is increasingly targeted by terrorist attacks, often resulting in its damage,
theft or complete destruction, and condemns such attacks;
13. Encourages all countries, intergovernmental bodies, organizations of the
United Nations system, relevant non-governmental organizations and all other
relevant stakeholders to enhance international cooperation in supporting the efforts
of developing countries towards the development, strengthening and consolidation of
cultural industries, cultural tourism and culture-related microenterprises and to assist
those countries in developing the necessary infrastructure and skills, as well as in
mastering information and communications technologies and in gaining access to new
technologies on mutually agreed terms;
14. Encourages initiatives to foster cultural cooperation agreements and
networks at the regional level for knowledge- and information-sharing for sustainable
development;
15. Invites the organizations of the United Nations system, in particular the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to continue to
provide support, to facilitate financing and to assist Member States, upon their
request, in developing their national capacities to optimize the contribution of culture
to sustainable development, including through information-sharing, the exchange of
best practices, data collection, research and study and the use of appropriate
evaluation indicators, as well as to implement applicable international cultural
conventions, taking into account the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly;
16. Invites the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization and other relevant United Nations bodies to continue to assess, in
consultation with Member States, the contribution of culture to the achievement of
sustainable development through the compilation of quantitative data, including
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