ACTIONS
- Protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage
- Learning and educational opportunities
- Cultural participation/social inclusion
- Sustainable tourism
- Support research
- Employment (recruiting, training, safety)
- Energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions
- Waste management and reduction
- Transport (forms of, energy use)
- Commercial activities including copyright and IP
- Governance and management
- Security, disaster preparedness, risk reduction
- External partnerships and collaborations
- Publication/report
- Toolkit/framework/roadmap
- Case studies
Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe
Intended Audience
Cultural and heritage sectors, policy makers, local government, development agencies
- Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe Consortium, European Union
“The overall objective of the Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe project is twofold. On the one hand it aims at collecting and analysing evidence for the significance of cultural heritage for the European economy, society, culture and environment. On the other hand, it seeks to raise awareness of the value of cultural heritage for the development of contemporary Europe. The goal has been detailed into specific objectives:
- to raise the profile and understanding of the importance of cultural heritage for the economy and society;
- to create a network of expertise on these issues which can be mobilised throughout Europe;
- to strengthen the co-operation and networking capacities of the full range of organisations involved in the conservation of cultural heritage;
- to foster communication and partnership between professionals at all levels, including local, national and European authorities and municipalities, educational institutions and heritage organisations;
- to create a comprehensive and readily accessible set of data on the multiple benefits of cultural heritage that will provide the arguments to convince policy-makers of the need to develop a true EU strategy for cultural heritage;
- to identify gaps in information and areas of possible future research;
- to develop recommendations on how data collection can be managed into the future so that trends can be established, indicators updated annually and change measured over time;
- to develop a series of policy recommendations for tapping into the full potential of cultural heritage.
This report aims to demonstrate how the potential of cultural heritage can impact various aspects of life with real life examples in Europe. Moreover, the intention of the project is to present conclusive and persuasive arguments for convincing policy- and decision-makers of the impact of cultural heritage and the multiple benefits of investing in it. In order to achieve this goal, a broad mapping procedure was implemented to collect evidence-based research, conducted in Europe, on the various areas of impact of cultural heritage.” (p.37)
Avaiable in
- English
- Dutch
- Finnish
- French
- German
- Hungarian
- Italian
- Norwegian
- Polish
- Romanian
- Serbian
- Spanish
- Turkish
- Ukrainian
Actions
- Learning and educational opportunities
- Cultural participation/social inclusion
- Sustainable tourism
- Support research
- Employment (recruiting, training, safety)
- Energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions
- Waste management and reduction
- Commercial activities including copyright and IP
- Governance and management
- External partnerships and collaborations
SDGs LINKAGES
The ten key findings relate to a wide range of SDGs and targets. Cultural education features in many of the case studies (supporting SDG 4.7), and education for sustainable development also supports SDGs 12.8 and 13.3. Creation of jobs and training relates to targets 4.4, 8.1, 8.3, 8.5 and 8.6. Innovation supports SDG 8.2, Activities that support sustainable tourism support SDG 8.9. Promoting cultural participation and inclusion supports SDGs 1.4, 3.4, 5.1, 10.2, 10.3 and 10.4. Providing welcoming, effective facilities and public spaces supports SDGs 4.A, 9.1 and 11.7. Promoting sustainable urbanization supports SDG 11.3, and effective links between urban and rural areas supports SDG 11.A. Protecting and safeguarding cultural and natural heritage as part of local development contributes to SDG 11.4. Having effective policies and partnerships in place contributes to SDGs 17.14, 17.16 and 17.17. Using heritage buildings to address climate change supports 13.1, and working to minimize negative environmental impacts contributes to targets in SDGs 6, 8, 9 and 12; reusing heritage buildings also contributes to 11.6, by reducing the impact of urbanization.
Click on the SDG Target to discover Our Collections Matter indicators
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Numbers and proportions of people from particular groups using collections in comparison with demographics in broader society.
- Numbers of people accessing collections.
- Number of targeted programmes that aim to enhance access to collections by disadvantaged groups.
- Sustainable tourism that enhances local communities’ access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property (including cultural and natural heritage), as well as to technology and markets.
- Involvement of people from disadvantaged groups in decision-making activities and processes relating to collections and collections-based institutions.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans, policies and procedures in place for the safe use of collections, notably in relation to chemical, physical, biological and other forms of hazard.
- Proportion of users of collections facilities reporting positive well-being during and as a result of activities relating to collections.
- Number and proportion of programmes relating to collections that incorporate wellbeing considerations and perspectives.
- Number of targeted programmes drawing on collections that address issues relating to non-communicable diseases, supporting prevention and treatment.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of young people and adults in skills-development activities and programmes drawing on collections, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
- Increase in number of young people and adults in such programmes.
- Number and proportion of staff who have received training in the last year, to better support their contribution to the SDGs.
- Programs and processes in place to ensure the availability of a skilled workforce.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Numbers of people in each type of programme drawing on collections from different demographic groups.
- Increases in numbers of people in each type of programme from different demographic groups.
- Proportion of people involved in such programmes in relation to overall audience size.
- Evidence that learners have acquired knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and proportion of education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive.
- Proportion of education facilities that provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
- Number and type of initiatives to improve effectiveness of learning environments.
- Support given to other education facilities to make them more inclusive and effective.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Collections development to ensure that collections effectively meet the needs of all, irrespective of sex or gender.
- Number and proportion of educational and participatory programmes that promote participation irrespective of sex or gender.
- Numbers and proportions of girls, women and gender-diverse people making use of collections in relation to the demographic of the local population.
- Numbers and proportions of girls, women and gender-diverse people involved in focused programmes aimed at promoting social, economic and political inclusion.
- Numbers and proportions of girls, women and gender-diverse people from different demographic groups involved in decision-making processes relating to collections and collections-based institutions.
- Number and types of partnerships that build relationships with people of different sex and gender.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Economic value added to the local economy.
- Number of jobs created, notably for marginalized and under-represented groups.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of innovation-driven projects that aim to enhance or add to the range of activities drawing on collections.
- Staff training initiatives aimed at innovation, skills for enterprise.
- Number of public-facing activities that make use of new or emerging technologies, involving collections.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Development-oriented policies in place for the range of activities, or development-oriented considerations are included in other policies.
- Number of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises supported.
- Number and proportion of formalised arrangements with micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.
- Total value of financial services or financial support provided to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans in place to increase resource efficiency, reduce consumption, and to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Increase in number of people in full and productive employment relating to collections, through job creation and recruitment.
- Increase in proportion of existing staff working with collections in productive employment.
- Increase in number of men, women, young people and persons with disabilities in development and training programmes drawing on collections that support them in employment.
- Removal of pay disparities by gender and/or other status for those working with collections.
- Policies and plans in place to ensure that all suppliers and others in the supply chain are in decent and productive work.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of young people in employment, education or training relating to collections.
- Number of people in dedicated programmes relating to collections, who would otherwise not be in employment, education or training.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Numbers of jobs created or supported that relate to sustainable tourism drawing on local products (e.g. craft producers).
- Develop and implement plans to reduce and remove negative impacts of tourism.
- Numbers of activities and/or products drawing on local culture.
- Value to artisans and source communities of activities and products drawing on local culture.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Development of research-useful collections to support reliable, sustainable and resilient use by researchers and others.
- Number and proportion of collections facilities and stores that support economic development and human well-being.
- Number and proportion of collections facilities and stores that provide affordable and equitable access for all.
- Investment in collections facilities.
- Inclusion of collections information in regional and transborder initiatives, notably via digital access for discoverability.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of products and services developed, either alone or in partnership, that contribute to the green economy in some way.
- Number of jobs created, and working hours spent, that contribute to the green economy.
- Number of partnerships that produce products and services that add value to the economy, and that have positive social and environmental impacts.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and proportion of collections facilities that make efficient use of resources, with an ongoing drive for efficiencies and reductions in energy use and waste of all forms.
- Number and proportion of collections facilities that use clean and environmentally sound technologies, including climate-friendly energy sources and materials, with an ongoing commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste of all forms.
- Number and proportion of collections facilities that adopt and/or prioritise collections-related processes and practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste of all forms.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and proportion of collections facilities that effectively support research and researchers.
- Number and proportion of staff who are appropriately skilled to undertake and support collections-based research.
- Expenditure on initiatives to enhance and upgrade collections facilities.
- Numbers of staff engaged in supporting and developing research use based on collections.
- Number of initiatives to encourage innovation drawing on collections.
- Increase in number of research and development workers per 1 million people.
- Increase in public and private research and development spending being used to develop and make use of collections.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans in place to support development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure in developing countries through financial, technological and technical support, for example through: i. joint projects, ii. funding bids, iii. sharing equipment, collections and collections information as appropriate, iv. in order to support development of high-quality infrastructures for sustainable development, research and innovation.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Collections development to ensure that collections effectively meet the needs of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
- Number and proportion of educational and participatory programmes that promote participation irrespective of social or other status.
- Numbers and proportions of people making use of collections in relation to the demographic of the local population.
- Numbers and proportions of people involved in focused programmes aimed at promoting social, economic and political inclusion.
- Numbers and proportions of people from different demographic groups involved in decision-making processes relating to collections and collections-based institutions.
- Number and types of partnerships that build relationships with marginalized groups, individuals and communities.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Identification of discriminatory policies and practices, with clear plans to address these, to ensure equal opportunity for all and reduce inequalities of outcome.
- Collections development to uphold and promote legislation and anti-discriminatory perspectives, with the aim of reducing inequality within and between countries.
- Education and participatory programmes that promote anti-discriminatory legislation, policies and action, with the aim of reducing inequality within and between countries.
- Research that supports anti-discriminatory legislation, policies and action, with the aim of reducing inequality within and between countries.
- Participation in partnerships that promote anti-discriminatory legislation, policies and action, with the aim of reducing inequality within and between countries.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and proportion of policies that proactively address equality issues relating to fiscal, wage and social protection considerations.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically.
- Plans in place for collections-based institutions to facilitate the incorporation of communities’ views into local planning and town management processes in a regular way.
- Plans in place for collections-based institutions to facilitate the incorporation of minorities’ views into local planning and town management processes in a regular way.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Total expenditure (public and private) per capita spent on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by type of heritage.
- Plans, policies and procedures in place for the safe use of collections for a variety of purposes, protecting and safeguarding both collections and those who use them.
- Plans, policies and procedures in place for the identification, safeguarding and protection of cultural and natural heritage at risk.
- Collecting programmes in place to protect, safeguard and make use of cultural and natural heritage, addressing the needs of communities and stakeholders, and ensuring that collections can be an effective resource for sustainable development.
- Number and diversity of educational, awareness-raising, research programmes, and partnerships that aim to strengthen protection of cultural and natural heritage.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans in place to reduce negative impacts on air quality, and volume and forms of waste.
- Plans in place to eliminate waste of all forms as soon as possible.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Numbers of people accessing collecting institutions from different demographic groups, notably women, children, older people and persons with disabilities.
- Increases in numbers of people accessing collecting institutions from different demographic groups.
- Measures taken to remove barriers to access green and public spaces.
- Extent of green space provided by collections institutions.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Considerations of regional economic, social and environmental trends and risks incorporated into collecting institutions’ planning.
- Participation in local and regional planning, to foster access to services, cultural participation, prevent exclusion, and support equitable urbanisation.
- Ensure data collection and metrics can be useful for planning in conjunction with other sectors and between urban and rural areas.
- Number of outreach and other activities that promote awareness and accessibility of collecting institutions in urban and rural areas, and that promote awareness of regional development plans and risks, with opportunities for people and communities to input into such plans.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Reduction of material footprint in terms of reductions in consumption of biomass, fossil fuels, metal ores and non-metal ores.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Quantities, and reduction in quantities, of chemicals of all kinds, including chemicals used in maintenance of collections facilities, and chemicals used in care and preparation of collections, and all wastes throughout their life cycle, reducing release to air, water and soil.
- Plans in place to eliminate the use and release of hazardous chemicals and harmful wastes of all kinds into the natural environment as soon as possible.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Quantity and reductions in quantity of waste of all kinds, including avoidance/prevention of waste production, reuse, and recycling. Quantity of material recycled in comparison with quantity sent to landfill. Increases in recycling rate in comparison with landfill.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment.
- Extent to which global citizenship education and education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in formal, informal and non-formal education programmes and activities drawing on and related to collections.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Quantitative and qualitative metrics identified, collected and reported for evaluating performance of tourism in terms of social, environmental and economic benefits and impacts for:
-jobs
-promotion of local culture
-local and related products
-positive social and environmental benefits
-reduction of negative impacts of tourism, e.g. climate impacts, negative social and environmental impacts.
- Quantitative and qualitative metrics identified, collected and reported for evaluating performance of tourism in terms of social, environmental and economic benefits and impacts for:
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans in place for near and longer term to withstand and actively adapt to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans in place to enhance positive contributions to addressing climate change through use of collections. Plans in place to ensure collections, collections institutions and broader society can adapt effectively to climate change.
- Plans in place for effective education and awareness raising on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
- Plans in place to reduce negative contributions of collections-related functions, e.g. measuring greenhouse emissions with plans and targets in place to reduce them.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Proportion of policies that incorporate sustainable development considerations, linking to SDGs and targets.
- Incorporation of policy considerations from outside the collections sector into policies of collections-based institutions, to facilitate partnerships and effectiveness.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of global and international multi-stakeholder partnerships that share collection-related knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources to address the SDGs, or that otherwise involve collections-based organisations and institutions.
- Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of global and international multi-stakeholder partnerships involving developing countries that share collection-related knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources to address the SDGs.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships.
- Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of local, national and regional multi-stakeholder (public, public-private and civil society) partnerships that address the SDGs drawing on collections, or that otherwise involve collections-based organisations and institutions.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Identification and implementation of measures for sustainable development incorporating social and environmental considerations.
- Identification and implementation of both quantitative and qualitative measures of sustainable development.