Cultural governance

The tendency to discuss cultural governance rather than policy corresponds to the broader shift from government to governance, with the emphasis shifting from state policymakers to include the influence of civil society organizations and the private sector. A broad interpretation of "governance" could also include government policies outside the scope of cultural policy which nevertheless impact culture. Cultural diversity is a very broad term and encompasses many different aspects from the visible to the invisible aspects. The precise meaning of "cultural governance" also depends heavily on the definition of culture, which can range from narrow reference to institutions like museums and concert halls connected with the arts to broad meanings such as a society's way of life or its systems of knowledge and symbols. In the broader view, cultural governance deals holistically with the production of meaning in a society, through aspects including the culture industry, the formation of taste, and the use of language. == Global ==

The dominant actor in global cultural governance is UNESCO, a United Nations specialized agency created in 1946 and headquartered in Paris, France. UNESCO itself relies upon partnerships with the private sector in selecting, developing, and promoting World Heritage Sites. Agenda 21 for culture, administered by an international organization called United Cities and Local Governments, represents a vector for global governance conducted by its members at a local level. This concept endorses "culture as a fourth pillar of sustainable development", adding to the three pillars of sustainable development identified in Agenda 21: economy, society, and environment. == Regional and local ==

, a medieval Christian pilgrimage route, was declared the first European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, spurring the development of local tourism and the creation of this seashell logo. European Union Cultural governance in the European Union includes a range of cultural policies geared toward promoting European culture. The European Commission's 2007 communication "on a European agenda for culture in a globalizing world" describes interaction with culture through a various channels, including support for and consultation with cultural organizations, encouragement of artist mobility and intercultural communication, use of European culture in international relations, maintenance of EU copyright law, and promotion of European cultural goods and services. The European governments consider it necessary to promote and guide cultural development actively because of deficiencies in cultural outcomes of the free market. Further, intercultural communication and integration are considered intertwined with economic integration. In the People's Republic of China a major goal of cultural governance is to reinforce the legitimacy of the state. In the 1990s, the idea of "cultural sovereignty" developed in China. In this concept, culture is viewed as a demonstrating national strength. China's 2015 National Security Law addresses cultural security in Article 23. It states the state shall develop advanced socialist culture, practice Core Socialist Values, resist harmful culture, maintain its ideological dominance, and increase its cultural competitiveness. Publishing in 2024, academic Sun Yi states that China has "played an increasingly dynamic role in energizing" the UN's Intangible Cultural Heritage Cooperation program. == References ==