Moving culture from glass cases to growth strategies

Cultural heritage should not be confined to glass cases in museums. It is a vital component of development. The integration of culture into development strategies has significantly strengthened its contribution to social and economic progress.

This perspective is rooted in UNESCO's 1982 Mexico City Declaration on Cultural Policies, which defines culture as encompassing the spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of a society. This broad definition includes not only arts and literature but also ways of life, value systems, traditions and beliefs.

When cultural heritage is integrated into development frameworks, it transforms from a passive artifact into an active catalyst for national progress. This approach aligns directly with contemporary sustainability frameworks, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (2015-30), which place culture at their core. By shaping individuals and societies, culture also strengthens unity through shared values and traditions.

Traditionally, museums preserve objects behind glass, separating them from their original contexts. When this museum-based approach is applied broadly to cultural heritage, it risks freezing communities in time, hindering their natural evolution.

However, heritage is a powerful engine for localized development. It has two dimensions: economic and social.

Economically, cultural heritage fuels mass cultural tourism and creative economies, retaining capital and traditional know-how within local communities through craft industries, performing arts, traditional agricultural practices, water management systems and centuries-old building techniques.

As of October 2026, China has 61 heritage sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, ranking second in the world after Italy. The recent inscription of Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites in Jiangxi province is the latest addition this year. World Heritage sites serve as a testament to humanity's shared cultural and natural heritage. They are a reminder of our collective responsibility to preserve these invaluable resources for future generations.

Socially, in a rapidly changing and globalized environment, safeguarding cultural identity has become vital. Intangible cultural heritage plays a central role in this effort by preserving shared traditions and strengthening social cohesion.

The Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping emphasizes the importance of not only preserving traditional cultures but also developing them creatively. Together, tangible and intangible heritage strengthen people's sense of identity and their connection with the past. The UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage supports this process, encouraging innovation inspired by traditional knowledge.

China, with its traditions and its vision of the future, exemplifies this with initiatives such as establishing the UNESCO Chair on World Traditional Handicrafts: Inheritance and Innovation at Jinan University in Guangdong province. Chaired by Chen Ping, president of the International Organization of Folk Art, the Chair actively promotes China's integration of tradition and modernity worldwide.

The importance of intangible heritage is highlighted by the risks of losing generational links: if your grandmother didn't sing traditional songs from her childhood to you, you may not be able to sing them to your children or grandchildren. China leads globally with 45 inscriptions on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List, reflecting the diversity of Chinese traditional culture, from the Dragon Boat Festival and the Peking Opera to the Uygur Muqam of Xinjiang and the Tibetan Opera.

Preserving cultural heritage helps maintain cultural diversity and prevents the loss of unique traditions. President Xi has emphasized that the diversity of human civilizations is a fundamental global characteristic.

In response to concerns about globalization leading to a uniform global culture, UNESCO's 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions allows states to protect cultural diversity by promoting and defending their cultural industries.

This perspective is especially relevant for China, where UNESCO-listed heritage sites, historic cities, traditional villages and landscapes are increasingly part of strategies for regional development, tourism, urban regeneration and the preservation of local identity.

This year, Xiamen, Fujian province, will host the 21st session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage from Nov 30 to Dec 5. This event will contribute to people-to-people exchanges, as suggested by the Global Civilization Initiative, fostering international cooperation, dialogue and mutual learning aimed at building a community with a shared future for humanity.

The author is former head of the Asia-Pacific Unit, Sector for Priority Africa and External Relations at UNESCO and a recipient of the 2024 Chinese Government Friendship Award.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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