12
Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda
For over 30 years, Spanish Cooperation has argued that culture is an element of crucial importance in the international agenda. This view was expressed forcefully in the Culture and Development Strategy Paper, published in 2007, which set out our conviction that culture is fundamental to the construction of global citizenship and to universal, comprehensive development. While culture is not explicitly mentioned in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this vision is present in the 2030 Agenda, where the concept of culture is implicit in many of its objectives and in the introductory statement. In 2018, once the mandate was issued to implement the 2030 Agenda, the Spanish Government submitted its Action Plan for a Sustainable Development Strategy, thus reinforcing Spain’s commitment to the global agenda. Of the ten transformative measures proposed, two are of special relevance to Spanish Cooperation; the First Measure defines the 2030 Agenda as a fundamental pillar of Spanish foreign action, while the Fifth states that cultural action should be employed as a key element in the transformation, dissemination and application of the Agenda. Broadly speaking, this is the context of the NCC. In the years to come, its actions will be focused on converting the above mandate into concrete actions in line with the Agenda, in which culture will be addressed from a broad perspective, as an exercise in solidarity, seeking to achieve greater equality on the global stage. This undertaking must be approached with respect for and encouragement of cultural diversity, which we consider to be part of the great heritage of humanity. Supporting participation in cultural life should be seen as a good practice favouring sustainable human development. Moreover, the NCC should contribute to producing a comprehensive discourse, with an open-door policy to other approaches, such as inclusion, gender diversity, the environment and a culture of peace and innovation both for society at large and for the constituent members and goals of Spanish Cooperation.
