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Kenya launches implementation of the UNESCO 2030 Culture Indicators Project
In an effort to comprehensively track culture's role in sustainable development, over 30 government officials, statisticians, cultural experts, and civil society members from Nairobi and Nakuru County, Kenya, convened online from March 6 to 8, 2024, to inaugurate the UNESCO 2030 Culture Indicators project. Supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Swedish government, Kenya becomes the second African nation to undertake this significant initiative, setting a precedent for others across the continent.
Hosted by Kenya's State Department for Culture, Arts, and Heritage, the workshop marked the project's preparatory phase. This involves identification of relevant local and national stakeholders who will be instrumental in data mapping, collection and analysis efforts, to ensure a participatory process, and to foster national ownership and sustainability of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators methodology and results.
“Kenya is proud to be part of this global initiative, and we are committed to ensuring that culture is at the heart of our national development agenda. Through the Culture Indicators, we will be able to measure the impact of our cultural policies and practices on our society, economy and environment.”
On their part, the national implementing team also presented the preliminary data mapping, workplan for the next phases of the project, as well as a review of main policies related to culture in Kenya, and participants are being consulted for their review and valorization.
Overall, the workshop served as an orientation on implementing the UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators methodology, and it is a significant step towards recognising and harnessing the power of culture for sustainable development in Kenya.
Following this preparatory phase of data collection, all data will be inserted in the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators online portal for review, analysis and interpretation, for final reporting and dissemination in July 2024.
The UNESCO Thematic Indicators for Culture in the 2030 Agenda (UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators) is a framework of thematic indicators whose purpose is to measure and monitor the progress of culture’s enabling contribution to the national and local implementation of the Goals and Targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
