UNCTAD | Creative Economy Programme / International Year
In 2019 at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, 2021 was declared the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. Indonesia was the main sponsor of the proposal, which was presented by a global grouping of countries, including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Philippines and Thailand.
The proposal recognised the need to promote sustained and inclusive economic growth, foster innovation and provide opportunities, benefits and empowerment for all and respect for all human rights.
Creativity is the answer we’ve been looking for – now is the time to embrace and invest in it
Marisa Henderson – Chief of the Creative Economy Programme, UNCTAD
Amy Shelver – Public Information Officer, UNCTAD
Feb 1, 2021 – The 2021 UN Year of Creative Economy puts the ‘orange economy’ front and centre at a time when we need creative solutions for the world’s challenges.
The final two months of 2019 marked a major milestone for the global creative community as the UN moved to ratify a resolution to make 2021 the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.
This is a hard-won landmark for the creative industries. It recognizes and elevates the creative economy as an important tool for building a sustainable, inclusive, and equitable future.
When the resolution was being negotiated and approved, no one could anticipate what the intervening year would hold: a status quo-shattering pandemic. But perhaps what has felt like the end of the world is the beginning of a new world.
What could be more fitting when entering a new era than a dedicated focus on creativity and the role it can play in helping us achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?
